Strong-field dynamics of a multimode, standing-wave dye laser

A set of strong-field Maxwell–Bloch equations is derived for a multimode, standing-wave, homogeneously broadened laser such as a dye laser, which obeys the atomic rate-equation limit. Numerical solutions show that the energy in the cavity oscillates between the field and the gain medium at multiples of the cavity mode spacing. By using these Maxwell–Bloch equations, intensity autocorrelation functions of a dye-laser system under varying conditions are calculated. We find that the numerical results qualitatively agree with recent experimental data.