DYNAMIC QUANTUM-NOISE REDUCTION IN MULTILEVEL-LASER SYSTEMS

Based on the standard laser model of a large number N of model atoms resonantly coupled to a single lasing mode, we show that the nonlinear dynamics of the active atoms of the laser can lead to output-intensity fluctuations significantly reduced below the shot-noise level. We identify the multiple recycling of the active electron from the lower lasing level to the upper level through the pumping as the key process leading to this dynamic-pump-noise reduction. This process has been neglected in most of the standard treatments of the laser so far. We find that the results are closely related to recent calculations based on the assumption of an external regular pump. For the widely used four-level model of the active atoms, the intensity noise can be reduced 50% below the shot-noise level. Generalizing the model to an m-level system, we find a quantum-noise reduction by a factor of 1/2 m/(m - 1)(m less-than-or-equal-to 3), leading to perfect output-intensity noise reduction in the limit of a large number of intermediate steps in the recycling process of the active atoms. Finally, we demonstrate that the bandwidth of the noise reduction can be significantly enhanced using a nonlinear absorber in the cavity.