Influence of active-medium inhomogeneities on the single-pulse emission characteristics of periodic lasers with unstable resonators
A study is made of the influence of a lens-like active medium, and of optical inhomogeneities induced in it, on the spatial and temporal characteristics of single-pulse emission from a solid-state laser having unstable resonators. The analysis is performed by numerically solving the integral equation for an open resonator, filled with an active thermally deformed medium. The real active-medium temperature distribution is taken into account in calculating the equivalent resonator instability and the effective gain over the cross section of the active medium and in analyzing the features of spectrum formation and of the angular distribution of the emitted radiation.