Abstract

Buildup of laser oscillation is expressed in terms of the probabilities p_n(t) that there are n photons in the laser cavity. These probabilities obey a coupled set of difference–differential equations of motion. The method and results of numerical integration of these equations are given here for the initial condition that no photons exist (radiation field vacuum). Corresponding equations of motion for the moments of the photon distribution are derived, and their time dependences are given. A movie showing the time development of the p_n from an initial vacuum is given on the corners of the November 1970 issue of Applied Optics and can be seen by flipping through the pages.

© 1970 Optical Society of America

Interferometric Combinations of Frequency-Shifted Mode-Locked-Laser Pulses

L. E. Hargrove
Appl. Opt. 9(4) 953-961 (1970)

Laser Doppler Detection Systems for Gas Velocity Measurement

R. M. Huffaker
Appl. Opt. 9(5) 1026-1039 (1970)

A Study of the Neutral Atomic Iodine Laser

H. H. Kim and H. Marantz
Appl. Opt. 9(2) 359-368 (1970)

A Ray Analysis of Optical Resonators Formed by Two Spherical Mirrors

I. A. Ramsay and J. J. Degnan
Appl. Opt. 9(2) 385-398 (1970)

Isotope Dependence of Gas Laser Intensity Profiles

G. A. Royce and M. Sargent
Appl. Opt. 9(11) 2428-2434 (1970)