Abstract
Multimode, low-gain continuous-wave lasers are often subject to having intracavity apertures that create diffractive losses inside the optical resonator. For very low-gain systems with short gain lengths, highly reflective mirrors are required to obtain laser oscillation. The Rigrod theory was modified to include a diffractive loss term and comparisons with experimental data show that the intracavity diffractive losses, while small in magnitude, can play a significant role for these low-gain cases with high mirror reflectivities.
© 2009 Optical Society of America
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