Spectral and polarization hole burning in neodymium glass lasers
Abstract
Gain saturation in short-pulse glass laser amplifiers is treated including both spectral and polarization hole burning. A formalism is developed to calculate the performance of an amplifier based on media with a generalized cross section inhomogeneity. Predictions are made for the output fluence and the energy extraction efficiency, as well as the post-pulse gain of a weak probe of arbitrary frequency and polarization. This formalism is applied to a simple model of spectral inhomogeneity in which the medium is assumed to be composed of Lorentzian lines with a Gaussian distribution of line-center frequencies. The polarization inhomogeneity of the stimulated emission cross section is considered, and amplifier performance and results of polarized fluorescence line-narrowing experiments are calculated. Input-output fluences and polarized post-pulse gain ratios are calculated and compared to measurements for a silicate glass amplifier. The predicted gain of a Nd-doped laser glass is compared to published amplifier measurements. Models which successfully predict large-signal performance of glass amplifiers are presented.
- Publication:
-
IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics
- Pub Date:
- November 1983
- DOI:
- 10.1109/JQE.1983.1071789
- Bibcode:
- 1983IJQE...19.1704H
- Keywords:
-
- Glass Lasers;
- Hole Burning;
- Laser Outputs;
- Neodymium Lasers;
- Power Gain;
- Inhomogeneity;
- Polarized Light;
- Spectral Line Width;
- Lasers and Masers