Giant pulse lasing in three-level systems

We propose an alternative method to Q switching for generating giant pulses of laser light in three-level media. This mehod is based on the presence o f an external coherent field driving one transition to allow the accumulati on of a large population inversion in the other transition without laser os cillation even in a cavity with high-Q factor. The switching off of the ext ernal coherent field causes the development of the giant pulse. Different t ime profiles for the switching off of the external field have been investig ated. [S1050-2947(99)00804-5].