Dynamics of a ring-laser gyroscope with backscattering

Abstract
We analyze the standard third-order model describing a laser gyroscope with backscattering in the two limiting cases of dissipative and conservative coupling. In both cases we discuss the steady-state and periodic solutions, determine their stability, and construct the locking diagram. In particular, in the dissipative coupling case, an exact periodic solution is found analytically. It is also proved that the concepts developed in the passive-cavity problem are useful tools to understand the dynamics of the laser gyroscope.