Homogeneously broadened bidirectional ring laser: Theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and experiment in helium-xenon

Thesis/Dissertation · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6068270

Hoffer, L M

Theoretical and experimental studies of a homogeneously broadened bidirectional ring laser are reported. A model for a homogeneously broadened bidirectional ring laser is derived. The material variables, the population inversion and the atomic polarization, are written as infinite spatial harmonic series. Each of those series is truncated at fourth order in the spatial frequency, yielding a system of fifteen real equations. A numerical investigation of the validity of this truncation is performed. The rate of convergence of the spatial harmonic series of the population inversion and thereby the validity of the truncation of the series, is found to depend on the ratio of the relaxation rates of the population difference and the field and on the regularity of the dynamics. The four steady-state solutions to this problem are found and a linearized stability analysis is performed on the zero-intensity steady state and the unidirectional steady states. The stability of the bidirectional solution is explored numerically. Plots of intensity versus time from a numerical integration of the fifteen equations, is presented for parameter values appropriate to a Helium-Xenon laser and for a range of pump and detuning values, for later comparison with experimental values. The experimental set-up is described and the determination of the values for the various parameters appearing in the model is presented. A summary and comparison of experimental findings and theoretical predictions is given.

• Research Organization: Bryn Mawr Coll., PA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6068270
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426002* -- Engineering-- Lasers & Masers-- (1990-)
CONVERGENCE
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
HELIUM
LASERS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATHEMATICS
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
POPULATION INVERSION
RARE GASES
RING LASERS
STABILITY
XENON