Behavior of Saturable-Absorber Giant-Pulse Lasers in the Limit of Large Absorber Cross Section

Abstract

Using a rate‐equation model, it is shown that the behavior of the saturable‐absorber giant‐pulse (SAGP) laser can be adequately described in terms of two parameters for values of the ratio of absorber to laser absorption cross section σ>200: n_ai′ the normalized initial inversion and στ_s, where τ_s is the normalized absorber relaxation time. In the general case, specification of n_ai′, σ, and τ_s is required. Theoretical curves of the giant‐pulse output power, energy, and rise‐ and falltimes are presented. The results are applicable in particular to SAGP lasers employing organic‐dye absorbers.