Abstract

Along with many spectroscopic applications, atmospheric lidar measurements require a tunable, narrow band laser with a very high degree of spectral purity. A standing wave pulsed alexandrite laser tuned by injection seeding with an AlGaAs laser diode has demonstrated high stability (<0.005cm⁻¹ /hr), with a narrow band output spectrum (~0.005cm⁻¹), and high spectral purity.¹ The standing wave cavity, however, poses several difficulties in light of the single mode operation and efficient seeding due partly to the spatial, holeburning effect and partly to difficulties in injecting the seeder beam into the cavity. In order to overcome these problems and to operate the high power alexandrite laser in a single axial mode with a high spectral purity, a new ring laser system is being developed. We present the design features of the ring laser and the measurements of the laser characteristics.

© 1993 Optical Society of America