Abstract
The role of frustrated total internal reflection in the dynamics of laser eigenstates is investigated theoretically and experimentally. We first derive the Jones matrix of a frustrating element for a realistic Gaussian beam in a single-pass geometry. We point out the existence of three different angular regimes, namely, a pure frustration regime, an intermediate regime, and a quasi-Fabry–Perot regime. We then explore in each case the nature and the competition between the laser polarization eigenstates. A novel spiraling behavior of the laser parameters is demonstrated when the frustrating gap is varied, along with puzzling polarization-flipping effects, that may modify strongly the conditions that optimize the laser-output power. Experimental results agree with a theoretical model.
© 1996 Optical Society of America
Full Article | PDF ArticleMore Like This
David C. S. Beddows, Ben C. Griffiths, Ota Samek, and Helmut H. Telle
Appl. Opt. 42(30) 6006-6015 (2003)
John R. Hull and Malvern K. Iles
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 70(1) 17-28 (1980)
Laurent Dutriaux, Albert Le Floch, and Fabien Bretenaker
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 9(12) 2283-2289 (1992)