Contagious photons: Laser dynamics and the susceptible-infected-recovered model.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 37723672.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1103/PhysRevE.108.024218.
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Abstract
We explore a complete analogy between the classic susceptible-infected-recovered epidemiological model with natural birth and death rates, and class-B laser equations. As a result, recently derived asymptotic formulas in the former context can be used to describe the switch-on intensity pulse of a laser suddenly brought well above the lasing threshold, as in active Q-switching. Conversely, the well-studied laser relaxation oscillations find a companion behavior in epidemiology, emphasizing nontrivial timescales. Finally, we discuss the possible correspondence between multistrain outbreaks and multimode lasing.