Experimental demonstration of attractor annihilation in a multistable fiber laser

We report on the experimental open-loop control of generalized multistability in a system with coexisting attractors. The experimental system is an erbium-doped fiber laser with pump modulation of the diode laser. We demonstrate that additional weak harmonic modulation of the diode current annihilates one or two stable limit cycles in the laser. The ability of the method to select a desired state is illustrated through a codimension-two bifurcation diagram in the parameter space of the frequency and amplitude of the control modulation. We identify main resonances on the bifurcation lines (annihilation curves) and evaluate conditions for attractor annihilation.