Ultrasonic-Diffraction Shutters for Optical Maser Oscillators

Abstract

The ultrasonic‐diffraction effect was utilized as a shutter to gate and amplitude modulate the output of a ruby optical maser (laser) by regulating the optical feedback within the Fabry‐Perot interferometer. In addition, an oscillation resembling limit cycle operation was induced in the ruby laser by an ultrasonic‐progressive wave that periodically changed the optical path length between the interferometer reflectors by varying the refractive index.