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From the stationary solution of the Fokker-Planck equation for a laser oscillator exhibiting spatial dispersion, presented in a previous paper, the equation for the most probable field configuration is derived. An additional boundary condition is found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews some aspects of the generation of very short optical pulses using mode-locked lasers, with the emphasis laid on pulsed laser systems. Active and passive mode-locking is discussed, and the problem of measuring ultrashort light pulses is considered. A survey of some commonly used sources and techniques for the generation of ultrashort light pulses follows. The paper concludes with a short account of limitations in the generation and propagation of these pulses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid phase epitaxial techniques have been developed for the preparation of thin films of optical materials. Heteroepitaxy of magnetic garnets on nonmagnetic garnet substrates by the dipping technique employs the phenomenon of stable supersaturation in the iron garnet-PbO:BO system. Rare earth aluminum garnets in the same flux supersaturate to a lesser extent and precipitate readily upon substrate insertion. High quality films of YAG:Nd and YAG:Yb,Er,Tm,Ho on pure YAG as well as pure YAG on YAG:Nd have been prepared from a saturated PbO:BO flux using a transfer technique. Laser oscillation of Ho at 2.1μm and Nd at 1.06μm in single crystal epitaxial films prepared by the transfer technique have been reported by van der Ziel et al. Solute transfer has the advantage in optic garnet systems of uniform film growth at constant temperature without spontaneous nucleation. In addition, continuous solution of uniform composition nutrient maintains the rare earth dopant concentration in the melt. Pb incorporation results in a brown discoloration but can be eliminated by the proper choice of growth temperature. Deposition rates between 2 μm and 6 μm/hr. at ∼1O00°C have been found satisfactory. In this paper melt preparation, furnace design, the effect of impurities on threshold, and the effects of lattice mismatch and substrate orientation will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The onset of the picosecond pulse train in a passively Q-switched and modelocked solid state laser occurs with a considerable time jitter. A method has been devised which employs double-pulse pumping of the laser rod as a means to substantially reduce this jitter. With the ruby laser used, a reduction of more than twenty times, from 35 μsec to 1.5 μsec, was observed without altering the characteristics of the mode-locked pulse train or flash-lamp life. The synchronization of auxiliary equipment is thus made possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical principles of tunable sources of coherent light are briefly described. Characteristic data and the present stage of development are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]