Numéro
J. Phys. Colloques
Volume 48, Numéro C7, Décembre 1987
1st International Laser M2P Conference
Page(s) C7-549 - C7-555
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/jphyscol:19877131
1st International Laser M2P Conference

J. Phys. Colloques 48 (1987) C7-549-C7-555

DOI: 10.1051/jphyscol:19877131

EFFETS DE COMPETITION DANS LA POLARISATION DE LA LUMIÈRE D'UN LASER QUASI-ISOTROPE

G. STÉPHAN1, 2, A. D. MAY2, R. E. MUELLER2 and B. AÏSSAOUI1

1  Département de Physique Atomique et Moléculaire, Avenue du Général Leclerc, Université de Rennes, F-35042 Rennes Cedex, France
2  Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A7, Canada


Abstract
Light polarization in a quasi-isotropic laser is very sensitive to small anisotropies wich break the axial cylindrical symmetry. These anisotropies are either internal or induced by light fedback inside the laser by the detector for example1. Moreveover they vary in general with frequency. The result is that light polarization can vary with frequency in the emission line : the laser eigenvectors become frequency-dependent. Moreover polarization flips between eigenvectors are induced by competition effects. We give here examples illustrating both phenomena. One application is the polarization flip interferometry2.