Lasing threshold and mode competition in chaotic cavities

T. Sh. Misirpashaev, C. W. J. Beenakker
1998 Physical Review A. Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics  
The lasing threshold is studied of a multi-mode chaotic cavity (linear size D >> wavelength λ) coupled to the outside through a small hole (linear size d << λ). For sufficiently weak absorption by the boundaries, the statistical distribution of the threshold is wide, its mean value being much less than the pumping rate needed to compensate the average loss. The average number N_nc >> 1 of non-competing excited modes is proportional to the square root of the pumping rate. We use the classical
more » ... el of spatial hole burning to account for mode competition and find a reduction in the average number of excited modes to N =3^1/3 N_nc^2/3.
doi:10.1103/physreva.57.2041 fatcat:wish43nihnc37mrnkw66fkmkae