Reverse wave suppresion in unstable ring resonator
Abstract
Criteria for effective reverse-wave suppression (RWS) in CW and pulsed unstable ring lasers with inhomogeneously broadened media are determined theoretically, and the performance of a CW HF linear ring resonator (Chodzko et al., 1976) and of two configurations of a pulsed CO2 annular beam-rotation/internal-axicon (BRIA) resonator (Bullock et al., 1979) without and with an RWS mirror is evaluated experimentally. In the CW laser, the average forward-wave (FW) and RW power values are shown to be 61 and 39 W without RWS and 110 and 2.7 W with RWS, corresponding to a FW/RW power ratio of 41; in the pulsed BRIA lasers, power ratios of about 20 are achieved, but the RWS effectiveness is found to be highly sensitive to RWS-mirror and cavity misalignment. Graphs, drawings, tables, and photographs of typical waveforms are included.
- Publication:
-
Applied Optics
- Pub Date:
- December 1984
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 1984ApOpt..23.4509M
- Keywords:
-
- Backward Waves;
- Laser Cavities;
- Laser Stability;
- Optical Resonators;
- Ring Lasers;
- Wave Attenuation;
- Carbon Dioxide Lasers;
- Continuous Wave Lasers;
- Hf Lasers;
- Mirrors;
- Pulsed Lasers;
- Suppressors;
- Lasers and Masers;
- RESONATORS;
- LASERS: CHEMICAL;
- LASERS: CARBON DIOXIDE