The effect of a spatially filtered negative feedback on a laser that supports many transverse modes is studied. The Lyapunov theorem is used to find an analytical expression of the parameter domain in which the laser can be stabilized in the plane-wave state by the feedback. The prediction of the Lyapunov theorem is compared with that of the Routh–Hurwitz criterion and is verified by the results of numerical simulation. The numerical studies also show that the spatially filtered feedback can direct the laser to the plane-wave state from a distant initial state.
© 2000 Optical Society of America
(140.3490) Lasers and laser optics : Lasers, distributed-feedback
(140.3560) Lasers and laser optics : Lasers, ring
(190.3100) Nonlinear optics : Instabilities and chaos
(190.4420) Nonlinear optics : Nonlinear optics, transverse effects in
Hong Lin, "Suppression of transverse instabilities in a laser by use of a spatially filtered feedback," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 17, 239-246 (2000)