Transient Behavior of Transverse Modes in High-Power Pulsed Lasers.

Abstract

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)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 25, 1974
Accession Number
AD0778958

Entities

People

  • Larry G. Deshazer

Organizations

  • University of Southern California

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplifiers
  • Computers
  • Diffraction
  • Gain
  • Guidance
  • High Gain
  • Intensity
  • Lasers
  • Light Amplifiers
  • Optical Lattices
  • Oscillators
  • Pulsed Lasers
  • Ruby Lasers
  • Transverse

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Calculus or Mathematical Analysis
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy