Chaotic ray dynamics in an optical cavity with a beam splitter

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Nonlinear Dynamics
• Classical Mechanics

Background:

• Optical cavities are fundamental in laser technology and optical experiments.
• Understanding ray dynamics is crucial for designing stable and predictable optical systems.
• Chaotic dynamics in classical systems often arise from sensitive dependence on initial conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the ray dynamics within a stable optical resonator.
• To analyze the effect of introducing a ray-splitting mechanism (beam splitter) on cavity ray behavior.
• To explore the emergence of complex and chaotic dynamics in a simplified optical system.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Hamiltonian optics to model the ray trajectories.
• Simulated ray propagation within a conventional two-mirror stable resonator.
• Incorporated an optical beam splitter positioned perpendicular to the cavity axis.

Main Results:

• The introduction of a beam splitter significantly alters the ray dynamics.
• The system exhibits surprisingly rich and complex chaotic ray behavior.
• Even simple modifications to stable resonators can lead to complex nonlinear phenomena.

Conclusions:

• A simple beam splitter in a stable optical cavity can induce complex chaotic ray dynamics.
• Hamiltonian optics provides a powerful framework for analyzing such phenomena.
• This study highlights the potential for intricate behavior in seemingly basic optical setups.