  We report on the properties of a non-conventional stochastic photonic source.
We first describe the principle of nonlinear intensity filtering by using a
modified Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The latter alters the characteristics of
an input stochastic source based on Bose-Einstein emission. Computed output
intensity fluctuations are compared to an analytical model. Adjusting the
interferometer parameters, we show theoretically and numerically that the
statistical properties of light such as its probability density function can be
tailored. Depending on the parameters, the probability density may exhibit
large overshoots or smoother fluctuations. We further evaluate the impact of
these modified statistics on simple nonlinear processes. Compared to
Bose-Einstein emitters, the yield of nonlinear phenomena varies by several
orders of magnitude. We finally simulate the nonlinear interaction of such a
laser source with a dielectric material (fused silica) within the framework of
a more realistic model, including a statistical analysis. It confirms that the
deposited energy varies over many decades and can be largely enhanced due to
the properties of the presented laser source.
