1st Edition

Laser Resonators and the Beam Divergence Problem

By Yurii A. Anan'ev Copyright 1992

    Professor Yurii A. Anan'ev has a long-standing international reputation for his publications on optical beams and resonators. Now many of his contributions will be readily available for the first time in a book. The generation of maximum power, minimum divergence beams from laser resonators is probably the most important topic in quantum electronics and optics today. The only book of its kind, Laser Resonators and the Beam Divergence Problem covers not only the theory, but also the applications of resonators to real systems as opposed to idealized models. Each rigorous examination of an optical configuration is accompanied by a detailed discussion of its associated applications and of the considerations for the user in practical work. The book contains a wealth of information on the developments in resonator technology, including much material previously unavailable outside the Soviet Union. It is an essential reference source to every researcher in laser science and technology.

    FOREWORD BY A.E. SIEGMAN

    INTRODUCTION
    Briefly on the history and essence of the problem

    THE LAWS OF LIGHT-BEAM PROPAGATION
    Fundamentals of the theory of multielement optical systems
    Laws of propagation for major types of light beams
    Angular divergence of radiation

    IDEAL RESONATORS
    General information on open resonators
    Classification of open optical resonators and the condition of their equivalence
    Stable resonators
    Plane resonators
    Unstable resonator

    BASIC CONCEPTS CONCERNING THE PROPERTIES OF REAL RESONATORS AND THE PROCESSES OCCURRING IN THEM
    Some experimental data and their discussion
    Principal kinds of perturbations and parasitic effects
    Large-scale aberrations and light scattering
    Mode competition in the onset of lasing and in steady-state operation
    Pump energy conversion efficiency in laser resonators

    RESONATOR APPLICATIONS AND SPECIAL CONFIGURATIONS
    Basic resonator types
    Methods of the angular selection of radiation
    Resonators of lasers with controlled spectral and temporal characteristics
    Specific resonator configurations

    THE SIMPLEST CAUSES OF ABERRATIONS AND METHODS OF WAVEFRONT CORRECTION
    Thermal deformations of resonators
    Optico-mechanical and holographic methods of wavefront correction-stimulated scattering-based lasers
    Wavefront conjugation

    APPENDIX
    REFERENCES
    INDEX

    Biography

    Yurii A. Anan'ev (St Petersburg Technical University, Russia) (Author)

    "Experienced professionals working in the field may find this book a useful reference work to have in their personal library. … an excellent bibliography of the huge amount of research done in this area by researchers in the former Soviet Union."
    -Optics & Photonics News

    "… a timely and comprehensive treatment of the principles of laser resonators … a valuable resource to laser physicists as well as those scientists and engineers who wish to apply laser beams …"
    -Australian and New Zealand Physicist

    "… should be in every laboratory concerned with laser development …"
    -Laser and Optoelektronik

    "This book is an excellent reference work for the laser physics specialist and postgraduate worker involved in laser resonator design."
    -Laser Magazine

    "… the first book to deal specifically with the subject of beam divergence and it is difficult to believe that there will be a better one … this book brings together virtually all the relevant data and turns it into a coherent whole. … a quite outstanding book … a pleasure to handle and read … will surely be the definitive treatise for many years."
    -Optics and Lasers in Engineering