Theoretical and experimental study of discrete behavior of Shilnikov chaosin a CO2 laser

The discrete distribution of homoclinic orbits has been investigated numeri cally and experimentally in a CO2 laser with feedback. The narrow chaotic r anges appear consequently when a laser parameter (bias voltage or feedback gain) changes exponentially. Up to six consecutive chaotic windows have bee n observed in the numerical simulation as well as in the experiments. Every subsequent incase in the number of loops in the upward spiral around the s addle focus is accompanied by the appearance of the corresponding chaotic w indow. The discrete character of homoclinic chaos is also demonstrated thro ugh bifurcation diagrams, eigenvalues of the fixed point, return maps, and return times of the return maps.