Time-Resolved Phase and Intensity Measurements of a Pulsed Dye Laser Using an Integrated-Optics Wavefront Sensor

摘要

An integrated-optics wavefront sensor has been used to measure the near-field phase and intensity distribution of a flashlamp-pumped, pulsed dye laser. The sensor's temporal resolution allows ten 200-ns snapshots of the wavefront to be taken during the laser's 2-microsec., 4MW peak power pulse. The time-resolved wavefront measurements show large-scale temporal fluctuations of the phase during a single pulse, which explain the laser's previously measured poor beam quality. Reprints. (RH)