Abstract

Measurements were made of the thermally induced distortions occurring in laser rods as a result of flash lamp heating. Time-resolved interferograms were obtained by placing the sample in a Mach–Zehnder interferometer and utilizing a Q-switched laser as the interferometer-illumination source. It was observed that significant distortions occur during the pumping pulse leading to diverging-lens effects in the sample rods.

© 1966 Optical Society of America

Spatial and Temporal Variation of the Optical Path Length in Flash-Pumped Laser Rods*

Herbert Welling and Charles J. Bickart
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 56(5) 611-618 (1966)

Dynamic Measurements of Phase Shifts in Laser Amplifiers

A. Y. Cabezas, L. G. Komai, and R. P. Treat
Appl. Opt. 5(4) 647-651 (1966)

Thermal Distortion of Diffraction-Limited Optical Elements

F. W. Quelle
Appl. Opt. 5(4) 633-637 (1966)

Glass Lasers

E. Snitzer
Appl. Opt. 5(10) 1487-1499 (1966)

Frequency Control of a Nd³⁺ Glass Laser

Elias Snitzer
Appl. Opt. 5(1) 121-125 (1966)