On the Asymmetric Generation of a Superradiant Laser with a Symmetric Low-Q Cavity

Abstract

On the basis of numerical solution to the Maxwell–Bloch equations within the one-dimensional two-level model of a superradiant laser with a symmetric cavity in which the photon lifetime is less than the incoherent relaxation time of the optical-dipole oscillations of active centers, the phenomenon of the spontaneous asymmetric generation of counter-propagating waves under continuous uniform pumping of the active medium is revealed. It is shown that the observed symmetry breaking of the spatial profiles of counter-propagating waves of the electromagnetic field and, the polarization and inversion of the population of active-medium levels in the case of a small inhomogeneous broadening of the spectral line of its working transition occurs due to the asymmetric half-wave nonlinear grating of inversion of the energy-level population produced by these waves.