Streak camera analysis of an N2-1aser-pumped picosecond dye laser

The temporal behavior of a TEA N
2
-laser-pumped dye laser was thoroughly examined. It was found that both the pulse shape and the duration were affected strongly by the tuned wavelength, cavity length, pumping intensity, and the feedback signal from both the front and the back reflectors. A single output pulse as short as 40 ps could be generated by optimizing the operating parameters. This output can be used effectively to pump a short cavity dye laser to produce transform-limited 7 ps pulses.