Abstract

We present calculations of the longitudinal spatial mode functions for the electric field in a Compound-cavity laser system. The effects of the functional form of the mode functions on the laser gain and loss are discussed. Our solution is an alternative to existing models^1,2 and allows one to self-consistently treat an antireflection coating at the surface coupling the cavities. We show that the mode normalization constants may be expressed as Airy functions of the mode frequencies and laser length. Thus the gain line shape is given simply by an Airy function. This alleviates the need for numerically solving a transcendental equation to determine the gain and loss coefficients.

© 1993 Optical Society of America