A STUDY OF THE NONLINEAR DYNAMICS OF AN ADDITIVE-PULSE-MODELOCKED ND-YAG LASER

We analyze the dynamical instabilities of an additive-pulse-modelocked Nd:YAG laser; period doubling up to period 8, quasi-periodicity and h igh-dimensional chaos are observed. Experimental and numerical data ar e analyzed using bifurcation diagrams, spectrograms, and Grassberger-P rocaccia analysis. It is shown that the instability threshold is not a ffected if the fiber resonator length is chosen as an integer multiple of that of the main resonator, as is often done. However, the dynamic s beyond the bifurcation depends on the length ratio in a systematic m anner.