= Laser relaxation oscillation
Small perturbations of a class-B <laser> exchange excitation between the upper-state population and cavity <photon number>. <Linearization of a dynamical system>[Linearization] about a four-level lasing state gives $\ddot w+(r/\tau_2)\dot w+(r-1)w/(\tau_c\tau_2)=0$. Its damped <oscillation> <frequency> is $(2\pi)^{-1}\sqrt{(r-1)/(\tau_c\tau_2)-r^2/(4\tau_2^2)}$. Long population lifetime compared with <photon lifetime> permits underdamped relaxation.
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