Transient Behavior of Transverse Modes in High-Power Pulsed Lasers

Theoretical and experimental studies of the transient behavior of transverse modes in high-power Q-switched laser oscillators were performed. A computer analysis determined the transverse patterns for pulsed gain saturated lasers having Fresnel numbers up to 10, and the transverse intensity profiles...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: DeShazer,Larry G
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
Gain
High power
Lasers and Masers
Operation
Pulsed lasers
Q switched lasers
Q switching
Ruby lasers
Transients
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Summary:Theoretical and experimental studies of the transient behavior of transverse modes in high-power Q-switched laser oscillators were performed. A computer analysis determined the transverse patterns for pulsed gain saturated lasers having Fresnel numbers up to 10, and the transverse intensity profiles of a passively Q-switched ruby laser oscillator were measured for several Fresnel numbers. The theoretical calculations predicted the experimental performance very well. A criterion for single-mode operation of passively Q-switched high-gain laser oscillators was determined empirically. The characteristics of the saturable absorber used as a Q-switch were shown to have only minor effect on the transient mode behavior. Analytic solutions of the diffraction of truncated Gaussian beams were developed to provide guidance for the computer calculations. (Author)