Cavity solitons in two-level lasers with dense amplifying medium

Area of Science:

• Nonlinear Optics
• Laser Physics
• Optical Cavities

Background:

• Local-field effects are known to induce bistability in dense optical media.
• Broad-area cavities present unique challenges for maintaining optical properties due to potential off-axis emission.

Purpose of the Study:

• To theoretically investigate the preservation of bistability in broad-area optical cavities.
• To explore the formation and properties of spatial light localization, specifically cavity solitons, in such systems.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical examination of local-field effects in broad-area cavities.
• Application of Fourier filtering to suppress off-axis emission.
• Analysis of the resulting bistability and cavity soliton dynamics.

Main Results:

• Bistability between homogeneous lasing and nonlasing states is preserved in broad-area cavities.
• Fourier filtering is crucial for maintaining this bistability by preventing off-axis emission.
• Spatial light localization occurs in the form of cavity solitons, exhibiting significant plasticity with respect to the addressing beam.

Conclusions:

• Broad-area lasers can sustain bistability and cavity solitons, offering a simplified platform for studying these phenomena.
• The developed Fourier filtering technique is effective in enabling robust cavity soliton formation.
• The plasticity of cavity solitons suggests potential for novel optical control and applications.