Dependence of laser intensity on cavity losses for a detuned, single-mode laser

It is shown that for a detuned, single-mode, homogeneously broadened laser, semiclassical laser theory predicts a transition from a nonlasing state to a lasing state when cavity losses are increased for a range of cavity detunings when dispersion is large. A physical explanation for this behavior is presented in which the influence of dispersion on the cavity resonance frequencies is considered.