Factors which Limit the Reproducibility of Iodine Stabilized He-Ne Lasers

Abstract

The most important factors which limit the reproducibility of He-Ne lasers stabilized on a hyperfine component of the R 127 127I2 line are examined. The considered factors are the following: curvature of the laser power profile, second and third frequency harmonic distortions, overlapping of neighbouring lines, molecular collisions. The reproducibility limitations connected to more fundamental effects (residual first order Doppler effect, second order Doppler effect and recoil effect) are stated.Guidelines for the control and the improvement of the reproducibility are given.