Spectral properties of pulsed dye lasers

The model of a homogeneously broadened laser with pulsed excitation is considered. We compute solutions of coupled non-linear differential rate equations describing the spectral properties of the emission as a function of time. It is shown that the use of appropriately space averaged quantities allows one to take into account gain saturation effects. Injected, Fabry-Perot etalon tuned and broad-band oscillator emissions are studied. Spectro-temporal evolution of the laser emission which occurs in all cases is the main result of the computations and fully supports, as expected, the previously derived analytical equations. In addition it is shown that the basic phenomenon of spectral evolution implies the existence of an "ultimate wavelength" of the emission. How to predict the optimum and limits of injection locking is discussed in terms of a "delocking time."