SINGLE-MODE OPERATION AND MODE LOCKING OF HIGH-PRESSURE CO2 LASERS BY MEANS OF SATURABLE ABSORBERS

Abstract

Single-longitudinal-mode operation of pulsed, high-pressure, transversely excited CO2 lasers has been obtained by means of a saturable absorber (SF6) cell placed inside the laser cavity. Eighty percent of the multimode ouput power is obtained in the single-mode output. Single-mode operation has been verified by means of a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer. Pressure broadening of the saturable absorber by a buffer gas has been found to cause multimode mode-locked operation of the laser.