Abstract:
A new type of transverse mode selector is proposed. It is in the form of an interferometric stop representing a tunable inhomogeneous interferometer in which one of the mirrors contains a variable-thickness dielectric layer. A threefold change in the effective size of the interferometric stop is achieved by control with the aid of a piezoelectric ceramic. In experiments on an He–Ne laser this made it possible to vary continuously the number of the transverse lasing modes, select the fundamental TEM00 mode, and excite axisymmetric higher-order modes. Such an interferometric stop could be used in gas lasers with internal mirrors and in solid-state laser resonators where an iris stop would cause difficulties.
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