Non-Linear Operation of CO2 Lasers with Intracavity Saturable Absorbers

Abstract

The laser operation is an important case of a non-linear system and a large effort of the quantum optics has been devoted to the interpretation of the non-linear features, also from the point of view of specific applications. In a simple system the non-linearities are in the response of the amplifying medium. In a laser with an intracavity saturable absorber, where the non-linear response of the absorber is present, new phenomena occur. The behaviour of a laser containing an intracavity saturable absorber was investigated initially a long time ago (1). However recently a large interest in the phenomena arose owing to the observation of optical bistability and owing to the development of precise theoretical models. In the experiments involving the operation of an infrared CO2 laser containing a saturable molecular absorber, it is quite easy to realize a single frequency operations. Thus the analysis presented here will be restricted to this case, and the laser instabilities produced by mode or frequency competition will be not considered. The experimental apparatus, the experimental results and a theoretical analysis will be presented.KeywordsSaturable AbsorberOptical BistabilityResonant LevelAbsorber MediumSingle Frequency OperationThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.