Chaotic laser modelocking

Summary form only given. It is well known that when the frequency difference between two laser modes is small, as a result of nonlinear interaction, the frequencies of these two modes will lock together spontaneously. This phenomenon is called laser modelocking. To explore the possibility of chaotic laser modelocking, we have conducted experiments to study the nonlinear mode interaction between two chaotic laser modes. Our experimental setup used an optically pumped bidirectional NH/sub 3/ ring laser operating in the wavelength of 153 /spl mu/m. It was shown previously that under suitable conditions both of the forward and backward modes of the laser can operate chaotically.