EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF THE TURN-ON STATISTICS OF CLASS-B LASERS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ADDITIVE NOISE

The experimental results of the laser peak-amplitude statistics as a f unction of the delay time at turnon are presented for both pump and lo ss switching in a CO2 laser: the data show slopes having a different s ign for the two cases. A comparison between the two kinds of switching and a detailed physical interpretation of the mechanisms that cause d istinct statistics is offered. We describe in detail the experimental setup and carefully discuss the conditions that must be met to obtain a true statistics of the influence of additive noise. We present an ex ample for the statistics of multiplicative noise and summarize the cha racteristics of the different kinds of statistical distributions in th e laser turn-on process. A detailed discussion of the meaning of the s tatistics obtained with swept parameters is also included.