Polarization of dye laser light

Abstract

The degree of polarization of dye laser light (Rhodamine B) under excitation by a beam of linearly polarized light (second harmonic of a ruby or neodymium-doped laser) has been studied experimentally by measuring the Stokes parameters of dye laser light at a wavelength of 0·6328 μm. The sign of degree of polarization is negative in the case of the ruby second harmonic (0·3471 μm), whereas it is positive in the case of the neodymium second harmonic (0·53 μm). Even in the case of illumination with the ruby second harmonic, the magnitude of the degree of polarization increases with the intensity of unconverted ruby laser light. The experimental fact that the degree of polarization of dye laser light is nearly as high as unity has been explained fairly well on the basis of the theory proposed by the authors.