Elsevier

Optics Communications

Volume 107, Issues 3–4, 15 April 1994, Pages 249-254
Optics Communications

Measurement of the spontaneous emission factor of a 3.39 μm HeNe laser

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Abstract

The spontaneous emission factor Nsp = N2(N2 − N1) of a 3.39 μm HeNe laser is determined from spontaneous emission light radiated from the side of the gain tube. Nsp is shown to depend linearly on the intra-cavity optical intensity. This linear power dependence of Nsp will give rise to a power-independent contribution to the quantum-limited spectral linewidth of the laser. We predict that at an output power of 190 μW this contribution will already make up half of the fundamental laser linewidth.

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