Negative and positive hysteresis in double-cavity optical bistability in a three-level atom

We present dual hysteretic behavior of a three-level ladder system exhibiting optical bistability in a double-cavity configuration in the mean-field limit. The two fields coupling the atomic system experience competing cooperative effects along the two transitions. We observe a hump-like feature in the bistable curve arising due to cavity-induced inversion, which transforms into a negative-hysteresis loop. Apart from negative- and positive-hysteresis regions, the system offers a variety of controllable nonlinear dynamical features, ranging from switching, periodic self-pulsing to chaos.