The role of boundary conditions in kaleidoscope laser modes

McDonald, GS; Christian, JM; Huang, JG

Abstract

The complex character of transverse eigenmodes in one-dimensional (1D) unstable cavity lasers has been known for many years [1]. Early collaborations showed that the origin of such fractal (i.e., multiple spatial scale) structure lies in a subtle interplay between small-scale diffraction effects at the mirror edges and successive round-trip magnifications [2]. Kaleidoscope lasers are intuitive generalizations of the classic strip resonator to fully-2D geometries where the feedback mirror has a non-trivial transverse shape, such as a regular polygon [3]. The fundamental mechanism for fractal formation is preserved, but until recently these novel laser designs have remained largely unexplored. We will report on recent advances in our understanding of kaleidoscope lasers, made possible by new semi-analytical techniques. Aspects to be covered include mode patterns, eigenvalue spectra, convergence phenomena, and also the first calculations of fractal dimension for arbitrary cavity parameters.

Citation

McDonald, G., Christian, J., & Huang, J. (2011, June). The role of boundary conditions in kaleidoscope laser modes. Poster presented at College Research Showcase Day, University of Salford, Greater Manchester, UK

• Presentation Conference Type: Poster
• Conference Name: College Research Showcase Day
• Conference Location: University of Salford, Greater Manchester, UK
• Start Date: Jun 16, 2011
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2011
• Deposit Date: Oct 17, 2011
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 5, 2016
• Additional Information: Event Type : Conference; References : [1] G. P. Karman and J. P. Woerdman, Opt. Lett. 23, 1909–1911 (1998). [2] G. H. C. New, M. A. Yates, J. P. Woerdman, and G. S. McDonald, Opt. Commun. 193, 261–266 (2001). [3] G. S. McDonald et al., J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 17, 524–529 (2000); Nature 402, 138 (1999)