Controlling nonlinear interaction in a many-mode laser by tuning disorder

Abstract

A many-mode laser with nonlinear modal interaction could serve as a model system to study many-body physics. However, precise and continuous tuning of the interaction strength over a wide range is challenging. Here, we present a unique method for controlling lasing mode structures by introducing random phase fluctuation to a nearly degenerate cavity. We show numerically and experimentally that as the characteristic scale of phase fluctuation decreases by two orders of magnitude, the transverse modes become fragmented and the reduction of their spatial overlap suppresses modal competition for gain, allowing more modes to lase. The tunability, flexibility and robustness of our system provides a powerful platform for investigating many-body phenomena.

5 pages, 3 figures. Yaniv Eliezer and Simon Mahler contributed equally

References in corpus (5)

• Anderson localization in Bose-Einstein condensates
• Self-consistent multi-mode lasing theory for complex or random lasing media
• General phase-diagram of multimodal ordered and disordered lasers in closed and open cavities
• Active subnanometer spectral control of a random laser
• Disorder-Induced Order in Two-Component Bose-Einstein Condensates

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Universality class of the mode-locked glassy random laser
• Identifying and anticipating the threshold bifurcation of a complex laser with permutation entropy
• Aberration-driven tilted emission in degenerate cavities
• Interpretable disorder-promoted synchronization and coherence in coupled laser networks