Evidence of nonuniform phase-diffusion in a bad-cavity laser

Author

Kuppens, S.J.M. ; van Exter, M.P. ; van Duin, M. ; Woerdman, J.P.

Author_Institution

Huygens Lab., Leiden Univ., Netherlands

Volume

31

Issue

7

fYear

1995

fDate

7/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1237

Lastpage

1241

Abstract

The quantum-limited linewidth of a short HeNe 3.39-μm laser was measured and seen to increase with increasing nonuniformity of the intracavity intensity distribution. Experiments were done inside as well as outside the bad-cavity regime; in this regime the polarization of the gain medium cannot be adiabatically eliminated but acts as a memory. Good quantitative agreement with theory is obtained inside as well as outside the bad-cavity regime. The effect of nonuniformity is well described by the longitudinal Petermann K-factor. The bad-cavity and nonuniformity effects can be separated from each other as predicted by theory

Keywords

gas lasers; helium; laser cavity resonators; laser theory; light polarisation; neon; spectral line breadth; 3.39 mum; HeNe; bad-cavity laser; bad-cavity regime; gain medium; increasing nonuniformity; intracavity intensity distribution; longitudinal Petermann K-factor; nonuniform phase-diffusion; nonuniformity; polarization; quantum-limited linewidth; short HeNe 3.39-μm laser; Helium; Laser modes; Laser theory; Mirrors; Phase measurement; Polarization; Power generation; Power lasers; Quantum well lasers; Spontaneous emission;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.391086

Filename

391086