Low-dimensional chaotic attractors for an unstable, inhomogeneously broadened, single-mode laser

Quantitative characterization of the intensity pulsations from an inhomogeneously broadened laser confirm that observed irrelar pulsing has its origins in deterministic chaos corresponding to motion on a strange attractor of low fractal dimensionality. The pointwise information dimension and the Grassberger-Procaccia K2 (estimators from below of the fractal dimensionality of the attractor and the Kolmogorov entropy, respectively) have been determined for digitized time series from parameter regions identified qualitatively by power spectra as representing periodic, period-doubled, quasi-periodic, and chaotic behavior. Some amount of chaos seems present for almost all operating conditions.