Laser Q-Spoiling Using an Exploding Film

Abstract

Q‐spoiling is observed when an easily vaporized absorbing film located within the resonant structure of a ruby laser is destroyed by initial stimulated emission. Two features of this new technique are operational simplicity and no severe power handling limitations. The resulting laser output is characterized by a single giant pulse of micro‐second duration whose rise time (in the 20‐ to 40‐nsec range) is at least as fast as reported for Q‐spoiling by Kerr‐cell shutters.