Nonlinear Phenomena in Complex Systems, 2004, Vol.7, No.3, pp.304-309

NONLINEAR PHENOMENA IN COMPLEX SYSTEMS
An Interdisciplinary Journal

2004, Vol.7, No.3, pp.304-309

Laser Pulse Evolution in a Cavity with a Gate Based on Thermal Nonlinearity.
A.A. Afanas'ev, R.A. Vlasov, D.A. Khomchenko

The evolution of a laser pulse in a solid-state laser has been considered. Using the plane wave approximation we have obtained a self-consistent set of nonlinear reduced equations for the field amplitudes together with constitutive equations. These equations allow us to describe the dynamics of nonlinear total reflection of the laser pulse from a semiinfinite medium with the thermal nonlinearity, the evolution of the pulses reflected from the nonlinear medium being in a cavity filled with an active medium. A set of coupled differential equations for the harmonic amplitudes is used for the description of the active medium inversion in the case of counterpropagating wave interaction. The influence of the nonlinear mirror is regarded by solving the nonstationary heat - transfer equation with a source. The transient behavior of laser pulse energy parameters and its temporal shape are studied using the numerical solution and boundary conditions. It has been shown that changing the pump power and the angle of incidence of a laser pulse onto the mirror with thermal nonlinearity, it is feasible to control the shape and duration of the generated pulse.
Key words: nonlinear total reflection, laser pulse compression, thermal nonlinearity, absorbing medium, passive Q - switch

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