Pulse stretching of Q-switched laser emission by intracavity nonlinear ellipse rotation

Temporal Stretching of Laser Pulses

“…The extent of the change in polarization depends on the intensity of the applied electric field. Pulse stretching was demonstrated in a Q-switched ruby laser by using a nematic liquid crystal EBBA (p-ethoxy-benzylidene-p-butylaniline) as the nonlinear optical ellipse rotation medium in the cavity to introduce intensity dependent cavity loss due to rotation of polarization ellipse (Murphy & Chang, 1977). Stretching of pulses of 70 ns duration by a factor of 4 has been observed by placing liquid crystal MBBA (n-pmethoxybenzylidene-p-butylaniline) in the cavity of a Q-switched ruby laser along with other polarizing elements for self-induced ellipse rotation (Hsu & Shen, 1982).…”