PUMP-PROBE SWITCHING IN GAIN-SWITCHED LASERS

We report a novel pump-probe switching phenomenon exhibited by gain-sw itched vibronic lasers under dual pulse excitation. A spatiotemporal r ate equation model reveals the mechanism responsible, and predicts obs ervations of pump-probe switching in a Cr: forsterite laser under puls ed 1064nm excitation. The sensitivity of this energy storage-extractio n process to the pump and probe fluences and their temporal separation is investigated for switching in the nanosecond and microsecond excit ation regimes. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America.