Dynamic stabilization of unstable periodic orbits in a CO2 laser by slow modulation of cavity detuning

We demonstrate numerically and experimentally that a slow modulation of cav ity detuning in a loss-modulated CO2 laser can stabilize unstable periodic orbits even when the system remains in a particular dynamical regime for ad iabatic changes of the detuning. When the parameter changes faster than the transient response of deformation of the original periodic attractor, the system can evolve toward an unstable periodic orbit.