Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) in laser oscillators and amplifiers

Abstract

Dye-laser oscillators and amplifiers are studied theoretically with inclusion of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). Assuming pencil-like geometry in both cases, laser signal intensity and ASE intensity are described with appropriate photon-transport equations. In particular, there exist different boundary conditions fox both fluxes in the laser cavity case due to the different feedback behavior of an optical resonator for laser modes and ASE modes. The interaction of laser output and ASE intensity is discussed in detail, including laser output optimization without and with ASE effects. For single- and double-pass amplifiers closed-form solutions for gain saturation due to input signal and ASE flux axe also given. More complicated gain functions, such as inclusion of reabsorption in dye lasers, are also treated in some detail.