Dynamics of helical-wave emission in a fiber-coupled diode end-pumped solid-state laser

We have generated TEM0,l* modes in an end-pumped microchip laser using a standard fiber-coupled diode. A rich set of dynamic behaviors, such as periodic and quasiperiodic self-modulation, chaotic pulsing and frequency locking was observed in the generated TEM0,l* modes. Experimental results confirm the theoretical predictions that the locking occurs as a subcritical bifurcation and that a region of coexisting locked and unlocked states exists.