STABLE, EFFICIENT, SINGLE-MODE OPERATION OF A HIGH REPETITION RATE GRAZING-INCIDENCE DYE-LASER

A pulsed, grazing incidence dye laser has been designed to oscillate at a repetition rate of 6.5 kHz in a single, narrow and stable, axial mode with a high excitation conversion efficiency. A single mode efficiency of 12% has been measured in a near diffraction limited beam. No measurable fluctuations of the central laser wavelength or the 100-150 MHz single mode linewidth were observed during an hour of observation. The effect of grating incident angle and dye flow rate on laser operation have been investigated and a correlation has been found between the state of polarization of the dye laser output and the polarization of the pump laser.