Threshold characteristics of mirrorless lasers

Abstract

Detailed analytical expressions are developed for the output power and spectral characteristics of high-gain mirrorless laser amplifiers. With regard to intensity variations and spectral narrowing, such lasers are similar in behavior to conventional laser oscillators. A threshold transition region is apparent as saturation sets in, and spectral rebroadening occurs in inhomogeneously broadened laser systems. These solutions take full account of saturation by both the right and left propagating radiation, and the results agree with experiments that have been reported.