Stochastic bifurcation in a driven laser system: Experiment and theory

The effects of stochastic perturbations in a class-B laser occurring as a higher-dimensional dynamical system were analyzed. A global mechanism to induce chaoslike behavior by the addition of stochastic perturbations in a realistic model system of an optics experiment was identified. It was observed that the probability density function spreaded and crossed into the period-three basin. It was found that adding larger stochastic perturbations to the system resulted in quantitatively different dynamics.