Influence of mode number and mode degeneracy on the output of a ruby laser

Abstract

The conjugate-concentric ruby resonator is a system in which a ruby lens images each of the external mirrors on the other. By merely perturbing the geometry of the resonator, it is possible to obtain three distinct types of output: quasicontinuous, regular spiking, and random spiking. From the results of various experiments which have been performed on the system, it was concluded that two parameters are sufficient to determine which of these outputs will be obtained from a multimode resonator. Regular spiking is favored over random spiking if the mode number exceeds some critical value; quasicontinuous behavior is favored over regular spiking if, in addition, the modes exhibit degeneracy. The experimental results are compared with some existing theories. © 1966 The American Institute of Physics.