Maximum Gain for Forward- and Backward-Wave Optical Maser Amplifiers

Abstract

An analysis has been made of the mechanism of amplification in a device consisting of three media. The first medium is considered to be air, the second medium a crystal having a specific dielectric constant and distributed negative conductivity of constant value, and the third medium is air. The equations for power gain in transmission and reflection are derived in a general manner. Following this, the condition on the length of the active region for maximum power gain in both forward and reflected modes of operation is approximated and also the magnitude of gain. When the development is applied to the ruby optical maser the length producing maximum gain is found to be the same for both the reflection and transmission‐type amplifier. Furthermore as the length of the crystal is increased, oscillations are predicted at a single optimum value of the product of the negative attenuation constant and length.