Abstract

A method is described for calculating the modes of strip confocal unstable resonators, using a technique that is practical and economical even at high Fresnel numbers. The present theory is based on work of Horwitz. In contrast to Horwitz’s theory, the present theory does not give divergences at the shadow boundaries. It also applies not only to bare resonators, but to resonators in which there is arbitrary, slowly varying spatial dependence of the gain. It appears straightforward to extend the present theory to apply to three-dimensional resonators with rectangular-edge mirrors. A variety of numerical results for the symmetric modes is presented graphically.

© 1977 Optical Society of America

Asymptotic theory of unstable resonator modes*

Paul Horwitz
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 63(12) 1528-1543 (1973)

Mode properties of a strip confocal unstable resonator with saturable gain

M. J. Smith
Appl. Opt. 20(9) 1611-1620 (1981)

Lasers with unstable resonators in the geometrical optics limit

Gerald T. Moore and Robert J. McCarthy
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 67(2) 221-227 (1977)

Extended asymptotic theory of unstable resonator modes

Y. Q. Li and C. C. Sung
Appl. Opt. 29(30) 4462-4467 (1990)

Ray-optical analysis of cylindrical unstable resonators

S. H. Cho, S. Y. Shin, and L. B. Felsen
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 69(4) 563-574 (1979)