Experimental characterization of unstable periodic orbits by controlling chaos

A modification of the method proposed by Ott, Grebogi, and Yorke to control chaos [Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, 1196 (1990)] has allowed us to characterize unstable orbits of a Nd-doped fiber laser in their whole domain of existence. Stabilization could be achieved both on orbits embedded inside the chaotic attractor and on orbits located in other parts of the phase space. Transient regimes provide direct experimental information on the unstable Floquet multipliers.