The classical behavior and the quantum fluctuations are analyzed for the system of nondegenerate second-harmonic generation inside a cavity, where two frequency degenerate but orthogonally polarized harmonic modes are coupled to a second-harmonic mode via a ${\mathrm{\chi }}^{\mathrm{}\left(2\right)\mathrm{}}$ medium. We consider the consequences of asymmetrically pumping the two harmonic modes. Asymmetric pumping causes large changes in the classical dynamical behavior of the system; the pitchfork bifurcation, predicted by Ou [Phys. Rev. A 49, 4902 (1994)] and Eschmann and Reid [Phys. Rev. A 49, 2881 (1994)] for symmetric pumping, is transformed into a saddle node for any antisymmetric pumping. This new dynamics brings about the possibility of the system reaching a Hopf and a saddle-node–Hopf bifurcation point. Squeezed-state production is investigated at the critical points of the system. Large squeezing is predicted at the saddle-node and Hopf bifurcation points. The wealth of squeezing predicted by this model at the pitchfork bifurcation point is interpreted in terms of the dynamics of the system. For symmetric pumping, this system is shown to be able to produce two coherent amplitude and phase correlated beams both above and below the pitchfork bifurcation point and so is a candidate for an Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen experiment. © 1996 The American Physical Society.

• Received 7 April 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.53.1801