Experimental study of generalized self-filtering unstable resonators in an ablative-wall flash-lamp-pumped dye laser

The performance of a generalized self-filtering unstable resonator (GSFUR) that consists of two curved mirrors in a nonconfocal scheme with a low magnification of M = -1.62 in an ablative-wall flash-lamp dye laser is reported. The objective was to study the near- and far-field intensity distribution and the divergence of the laser beam. It was found that the output beam has a nearly Gaussian distribution with a pulse duration of ~400 ns FWHM, almost independent of the diameter of the field-limiting aperture, but increases slightly with the pumping rate. A diffraction-limited laser beam of 1.1 mrad was obtained from this laser cavity. The output energy was ~1 mJ when an intracavity glass plate was used as an output coupler. The required relations needed for the GSFUR design were also derived.