Linewidth and Saturation Parameters for the 6328-Å Transition in a He–Ne Laser

Abstract

Experimental measurements of the collision‐broadened linewidth and saturation parameters for the 6328‐Å transition of Ne in a He–Ne laser are reported as a function of total gas pressure in the laser tube. The measurements are made from observations of the single‐mode output power of a laser as a function of frequency. The experimental results are found to fit well a form of Lamb's theory for single‐mode operation which has been modified to include gas‐collision effects. A theoretical calculation of the saturation parameter is made and the result is found to be in fair agreement with the experimental measurements.