Mode Competition and Frequency Splitting in Magnetic-Field-Tuned Optical Masers

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Abstract
Equations are given describing the beat-frequency variation and mode competition in a gaseous optical maser operated in a magnetic field parallel to the maser axis. The equations include only lowest order nonlinear terms. Important terms in the amplitude- and frequency-determining equations are shown to arise from an induced atomic precession. These terms have a character similar to those describing the effects of selective depletion of the velocity distribution or "hole burning." It is shown that the induced atomic precession causes parametric conversion of an optical field of one circular polarization into one of the other polarization with a frequency shift equal to the rate of precession. This process tends to make the competition between modes of different polarizations important. An additional feature, not found in the scalar theory, is that, for sufficiently large magnetic fields, competition can be important between modes separated in frequency by several Doppler-broadened linewidths.

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