Abstract

Nd:YAG and other lasers operated unpolarized exhibit orthogonally polarized modes, which occur with a difference frequency that is a function of the intracavity birefringence.^1,2 These modes are typically elliptically polarized, with an approximate ellipticity of 20:1. Because the modes experience the same laser-cavity optics, they are very stable with respect to each other (of the order of 1 in 10¹¹ frequency stability¹).

© 1995 Optical Society of America