Dynamic chaos in a gas ring laser

A transition to dynamic chaos was observed in a gas ring laser at a wavelength of 0.63μ. The transition occurred via doubling of the self-modulation period of the intensities of the counterpropagating (opposite) waves. A transition to chaos was also observed via tripling of the period and bifurcation of the creation of successive subharmonics. The different regimes were observed as the radiation frequency was detuned away from the center of the gain profile.