Analysis of a noncavity laser with magnifying optics in front of the high-reflectivity mirror

The behavior of a noncavity laser with a magnifying optical element placed in front of the high-reflectivity mirror is analyzed. Using ray matrix analysis, a general formula for estimating the divergence is derived. It is shown that the formula can be applied to lasers with a telescope or a prism placed in front of the high-reflectivity curved or plane mirror at one end. The various noncavity configurations are applied to a copper vapor laser (CVL) and divergence is measured. The calculated and the experimentally observed divergence values are found to be in good agreement.<
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