A FFT based method is used to calculate the development of electromagnetic (EM) laser field inside a rotating mirror Q-switch laser. The method is applied to study the influence of pumping on the laser pulse temporal evolution and on the near and far field fluence distributions in an "eye-safe" Er: glass laser. Iterative computation of the lowest order modes for the misaligned plano--plano empty resonator shows that for small tilt angles resonator losses depend linearly on the tilt angle. Using linear Q-switching function an analytical expression based on rate equations can be developed which relates the maximum attainable single pulse output energy to the laser parameters. Theoretical results are compared with the characteristics of an "eye-safe" Er: glass laser.

Date Published: 1 June 1992
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 1627, Solid State Lasers III, (1 June 1992); doi: 10.1117/12.60138

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1627:
Solid State Lasers III
Gregory J. Quarles, Editor(s)