Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Laser linewidth narrowing induced by amplifier gain saturation

Journal Article · · Optics Letters; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.19.001529· OSTI ID:6726694
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Molecular Physics Laboratory, SRI International, Menlo Park, California 94025 (United States)
  2. Deacon Research, 2440 Embarcadero Way, Palo Alto, California 94303 (United States)
We demonstrate that temporal broadening of transform-limited nanosecond pulses during gain saturation in a Nd:YAG amplifier can produce substantial linewidth narrowing. Measurements of linewidths with two-color Doppler-free saturated spectroscopy in I[sub 2] show reductions in linewidth by more than a factor of 2.5 from 58 to 20 MHz when a double-pass amplifier is used. The observed temporal broadening is described well by a simple gain saturation theory.
OSTI ID:
6726694
Journal Information:
Optics Letters; (United States), Journal Name: Optics Letters; (United States) Vol. 19:19; ISSN OPLEDP; ISSN 0146-9592
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English