Dynamics of an inhomogeneously broadened passively mode-locked laser

We study theoretically the effect of inhomogeneous broadening of the gain and absorption lines on the dynamics of a passively mode-locked laser. Using numerical simulations of travelling wave equations, we demonstrate the formation of an instability of mode-locking regime and suppression of Q-switching in a laser with large inhomogeneous broadening. Moreover, we derive simplified delay-differential equation model for a mode-locked laser with inhomogeneously broadened gain and absorption lines and perform numerical bifurcation analysis of this model.