Global view of nonlinear dynamics in coupled-cavity lasers - a bifurcation study

This paper investigates nonlinear behavior of coupled lasers. Composite-cavity-mode approach and a class-B description of the active medium are used to describe nonlinearities associated with population dynamics and optical coupling. The multimode equations are studied using bifurcation analysis to identify regions of stable locking, periodic oscillations, and complicated dynamics in the parameter space of coupling-mirror transmission T and normalized cavity-length mismatch dL/λ. We further investigate the evolution of the key bifurcations with the linewidth enhancement factor α. In particular, our analysis reveals the formation of a gap in the lockband that is gradually occupied by instabilities. We also investigate effects of the cavity-length on chaotic dynamics.