Abstract

In this paper, we have theoretically evaluated the propagation characteristics of a train of pulses in an absorbing medium using a simple analytical approach to the time-dependent hydrodynamics. The scalar wave equation is numerically integrated using fast-Fourier-transform techniques. Results for the irradiance distribution are presented as a function of the pulse-repetition rate. Repetitively pulsed lasers show promise of giving higher irradiances at long ranges than cw lasers, for the same average power transmitted.

© 1974 Optical Society of America

Compensating for thermal blooming of repetitively pulsed lasers

James Wallace and Joseph Pasciak
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 65(11) 1257-1260 (1975)

Irradiance tailoring as a method of reducing thermal blooming in an absorbing medium

J. Wallace, I. Itzkan, and J. Camm
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 64(8) 1123-1128 (1974)

Theoretical aspects of thermal blooming compensation

James Wallace and Joseph Pasciak
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 67(11) 1569-1575 (1977)

Phase Compensation for Thermal Blooming

Lee C. Bradley and Jan Herrmann
Appl. Opt. 13(2) 331-334 (1974)

Thermal Blooming of Rapidly Slued Laser Beams

John N. Hayes
Appl. Opt. 13(9) 2072-2074 (1974)