Is single-mode lasing possible in an infinite periodic system?

Abstract

In this Letter, we present a rigorous method to study the stability of periodic lasing systems. In a linear model, the presence of a continuum of modes (with arbitrarily close lasing thresholds) gives the impression that stable single-mode lasing cannot be maintained in the limit of an infinite system. However, we show that nonlinear effects of the Maxwell–Bloch equations can lead to stable systems near threshold given a simple stability condition on the sign of the laser detuning compared to the band curvature. We examine band edge (1D) and bound-in-continuum (2D) lasing modes and validate our stability results against time-domain simulations.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Aug 03, 2020
Source ID
10.1063/5.0019353

Entities

People

  • Alexander Cerjan
  • Mohammed Benzaouia
  • Steven G. Johnson

Organizations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Pennsylvania State University
  • United States Army

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Control Systems Engineering.
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy