INFLUENCE OF THE NONLINEAR ANISOTROPY OF ABSORPTION IN A PASSIVE CR4+YAG SWITCH ON THE ENERGY AND POLARIZATION CHARACTERISTICS OF A NEODYMIUM LASER

An experimental investigation was made of the polarisation characteris tics of a solid-state neodymium laser with a passive Cr4+:YAG switch. The energy and the state of polarisation of laser radiation were affec ted radically by the orientation and position of the Cr4+ :YAG switch in the cavity, and also by the nature of an intracavity polariser, The polarisation characteristics of the laser radiation were determined b y a self-induced nonlinear-absorption anisotropy and a self-induced ch ange in the state of polarisation of the laser radiation during growth of a giant pulse when saturation of the absorption was 'switched on' in the Cr4+:YAG crystal.