Self-mode locking in a transverse-discharge copper-vapor laser

Abstract

A new observation of the self-mode-locking behavior of the copper-vapor laser is reported. In the present experiment, self-mode locking is observed for both of the 510.6-nm and 578.2-nm laser lines in a transverse-discharge copper-vapor laser. The conditions under which the self-locking behavior is observed are at variance from previous results, but they are consistent with the generally accepted requirements. The self-locking mechanism of the longitudinal modes is explained and a numerical comparison is made with a theory based on the third order polarization.