Spectral and polarization hole burning in neodymium glass lasers

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/JQE.1983.1071789· OSTI ID:6559619

Hall, D W ^[1]; Haas, R A

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1. Corning Glass Works, Corning, NY

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. 37 references.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6559619
• Journal Information: IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States) Vol. QE-19; ISSN IEJQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
LASERS
NEODYMIUM LASERS
PERFORMANCE
SATURATION
SOLID STATE LASERS