Regular and Chaotic Dynamics of a Single- or Multimode Ruby NMR Laser

The solid state, nuclear spin-flip, ruby nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) laser with its operating frequency in the rf-range has a variety of ordered (steady, oscillating, pulsing) and chaotic dynamic states. It behaves as a low-Q, lowely pumped, homogeneously broadened nonlinear laser system which may be modeled by Bloch-Kirchhoff equations [1]. Due to the five different NMR frequencies the ruby NMR laser can operate as a single- or multimode device. It can be driven by an external rf-field either tuned or detuned to NMR frequencies. A low frequency modulation, typically of the order of 100 Hz, of one of the system parameters adds another degree of freedom to the system which can be used to study systematically the various roads of chaotic modulation response.