Competition between carrier concentration and effective temperature effects on the dielectric function of a degenerate semiconductor in a spectral range near its fundamental absorption edge is suggested as a mechanism for regenerative pulsations in a stationary pumped optical etalon. The origin of self-pulsations is similar to that in a bistable etalon with competing concentration and thermal optical nonlinearities, but, due to its purely electronic nature, the proposed mechanism provides a way for a much higher repetition frequency, probably in the GHz range. The model of the phenomenon and modeling examples are all related to a Fabry–Perot resonator filled with the bulkn+-In0.53Ga0.47Asas an active medium. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.