MEASUREMENT OF THE UPPER LASER LEVEL LIFETIME IN THE HELIUM-CADMIUM LASER BY FAST CAVITY DUMPING TECHNIQUES

Abstract

The upper level lifetime for the 4416‐Å transition in the helium‐cadmium laser has been measured to be 670 ± 70 nsec. The measurements were accomplished by rapidly removing the intracavity laser power while monitoring the sidelight emission from the discharge at the laser wavelength. This measurement technique is applicable to other laser systems with upper level lifetimes which are long compared with the cavity dumping time, and has the advantage of providing a direct measurement of the upper level lifetime.