System Design and Relaxation Oscillations of a Titanium-Sapphire Laser

Abstract

A general method for designing a laser system is presented. Using the Ti:sapphire laser as an example, the requirements of stability, astigmatic compensation, and matching of the pump and cavity modes are addressed. Investigations into the relaxation oscillations of a Ti-sapphire laser are reported. Using four level laser rate equation theory, a technique is developed for analyzing relaxation oscillations exhibited by a laser. This technique presents a new and simple method for measuring the upper state lifetime and intrinsic cavity losses of a laser system. Beam-like vector solutions to Maxwell's equations are also presented. These solutions present a more detailed description of the polarization properties of laser beams. Experimental evidence of these properties is shown using an Argon laser.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA254264

Entities

People

  • William L. Erikson

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acousto-Optic Modulators
  • Air Force
  • Argon Lasers
  • Detectors
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Frequency Combs
  • Ion Lasers
  • Laser Applications
  • Laser Beams
  • Laser Mediums
  • Laser Resonators
  • Lasers
  • Light (Electromagnetic Radiation)
  • Optics
  • Refractive Index
  • Solid State Lasers
  • Waveforms

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Finite Element Method (FEM) for solving Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers