Theory and operation of high-power CW and long-pulse dye lasers

A complete theoretical model for CW and long-pulse dye lasers is developed. The effects of excited singlet-state absorption of pump and laser fight and triplet absorption of pump and laser light are included. Expressions are derived for gain, actual dye transmission, and output power. Experimental work is presented to verify the theory and to obtain values of excited-state absorption cross sections for rhodamine 6G by matching experimental to theoretical curves.