Problem 1:

A homogeneously broadened gain medium of length L is placed in a linear resonator with

Problem 2:
A three-level system has total active-ion density N , emission cross-section σe at line
center, and the cavity parameters of Problem 1. Assuming N1 ≈ N − N2 at threshold,
find the minimum fraction fth = N2 /N that must be pumped.
N2 1 gth
2σe N2 = gth + σe N ⇒ fth = = + .
N 2 2σe N
Because gth ≪ σe N in most lasers, fth ≈ 1/2.

Problem 3:
For a four-level system, g = σe ∆N with ∆N ≡ N2 −N1 ≈ N2 at threshold (since N1 ≈ 0).
(a) Show that ∆Nth = gth /σe . (b) If the upper-state lifetime is τ2 and stimulated emission
is negligible at threshold, derive the absorbed pump power density
∆Nth
pabs,th = hνp .
τ2

Problem 4:
Take N = 1.0 × 1025 m−3 , σe = 3.0 × 10−20 m2 , L = 0.5 m, R1 = 1, R2 = 0.90, αi =
(3)
0.02 m−1 . Compute gth and the pumped fraction for 3-level (fth = ∆Nth /N ) and 4-level
(4)
(fth = ∆Nth /N ), and their ratio.
1 1
gth = 0.02 + ln = 0.12536 m−1 .
1.0 0.9

Problem 5:
Assume a saturated gain medium where the circulating power for a given pump is limited
by the total round-trip loss T + Li , with output-coupler transmission T and parasitic
loss Li (both as power fractions). Show that the extracted fraction ηext = T /(T + Li ) is
maximized at Topt = Li . Give the corresponding R2 = 1 − Topt for Li = 0.02.

Problem 6:
A quasi-3-level transition exhibits residual ground-state absorption σa at the laser wave-
length. Show that at threshold
gth + σa N
gth = σe N2 − σa (N − N2 ) ⇒ N2 = .
σe + σa

1
Evaluate N2 for N = 1025 m−3 , σa = 0.5 σe , and gth = 0.12536 m−1 with σe = 3.0 ×
10−20 m2 .

Problem 7:
Show that a simple model for slope efficiency is
νL T λp T
ηs ≈ ηabs = ηabs .
νp T + L i λL T + L i

Evaluate for ηabs = 0.90, λp = 808 nm, λL = 1064 nm, T = 0.04, Li = 0.02.

Problem 8: Excited state lifetime means that how much time it will take to come down at the ground state. That means I should have to take the \tau instead of t_{sp}.
And just do the same calculation as natural broadening.

Given an excited-state lifetime τ , derive the Lorentzian FWHM ∆νnat = 1/(2πτ ). Com-
pute for τ = 100 ns.

Problem 9:
For a buffer gas of number density n and collision
pcross-section σc , the mean time between
dephasing collisions is τc = 1/(nσc v̄) with v̄ = 8kB T /(πm). Show that the Lorentzian
FWHM is ∆νcoll = 1/(πτc ). Evaluate for argon at T = 300 K, P = 100 Torr, σc =
2.0 × 10−19 m2 , m = 40 amu.

Problem 10:
Derive the Doppler FWHM
r
2ν0 2kB T ln 2
∆νD = .
c m
Evaluate for λ0 = 632.8 nm (He-Ne line), neon mass m = 20 amu at T = 300 K.

Problem 11:
Given a Lorentzian width ∆νL (sum of natural and collisional) and a Doppler width ∆νD ,
the Voigt FWHM is well approximated by
q
∆νV ≈ 0.5346∆νL + 0.2166∆νL2 + ∆νD 2
.

Use ∆νL ≈ 83.25 MHz from Problems 8–9 and ∆νD from Problem 10. Comment on the
dominant mechanism.

Problem 12:
A transition has zero-intensity Lorentzian
p FWHM ∆νL0 . Show that under drive intensity
I the FWHM becomes ∆νL = ∆νL0 1 + I/Is , where Is = hν/(σe τ2 ). Evaluate for
∆νL0 = 10 MHz and I = 5Is .

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Problem 13:
A 0.50 m cavity (air) has FSR ∆νFSR = c/(2L). Using ∆νD from Problem 10, estimate
the number of longitudinal modes reaching threshold in the absence of additional mode
selection.

Problem 14:
Nd:YAG at 1064 nm has σe = 2.8 × 10−23 m2 . For L = 0.10 m, R1 = 0.995, R2 = 0.90,
αi = 0.01 m−1 , compute gth and ∆Nth .

Problem 15:
Using Problem 14 and τ2 = 230 µs, λp = 808 nm, (a) find the absorbed pump power
density at threshold and the total absorbed threshold power for a mode volume of V =
0.10 cm3 . (b) If a step pump is applied producing N2 (∞) = 2∆Nth , when is threshold
first reached (neglect stimulated emission)?

Problem 16:
A 1 cm long crystal has a pump absorption coefficient αp = 3 cm−1 . If the absorbed
threshold power needs to be 2.0 W (single pass pump), what incident power is required?

Problem 17:
Compute the homogeneous saturation intensity Is = hνL /(σe τ2 ) for 1064 nm with σe =
2.8 × 10−23 m2 and τ2 = 230 µs. Express in kW cm−2 .

Problem 18: T
√
Show that ∆νD ∝ T . If ∆νD (300 K) = 1.31 GHz for the 632.8 nm transition, compute
∆νD (600 K).

Problem 19:
A laser with Li = 0.02 operates multi-mode due to Doppler width (Problem 13). You
can choose the outcoupler T . Using the Topt = Li guideline, discuss the trade-off between
single-mode operation and output power, and pick R2 for near-optimal extraction.

Problem 20:
You can choose R2 and L for a given medium with σe and internal loss αi . For a fixed
mode volume and pump, argue qualitatively and quantitatively how increasing L and
R2 affects gth and the absorbed threshold pump, and give a quantitative example using
αi = 0.01 m−1 , R1 = 0.999, R2 ∈ [0.95, 0.999], L ∈ [0.05, 0.5] m.