The use of nonlinear processes for forming subnanosecond, highly contrasting laser pulses

Certain features of the stimulated Brillouin scattering of short, high-power laser pulses in compressed gases are investigated. The possibility of forming highly contrasting pulses with a steep front in an unstationary scattering regime is demonstrated. The conditions that must be met for shortening these pulses given nonlinear interactions are investigated. The possibility of transforming the radiation frequency of an iodine laser based on the 2P 1/2 - 2P 3/2 transition during stimulated Brillouin scattering into other transitions of the ultrafine structure of the iodine atom is demonstrated. A master oscillator with a stimulated Brillouin scattering mirror was applied to the Iskra-IV iodine laser for laser-fusion studies. An energy of 1-2 kJ with a duration of 0.3 ns was obtained in a single-channel laser.