Use of the Talbot effect for measuring the phase-to-amplitude ratio for a gain grating induced in a flashlamp-pumped Nd : YAG crystal

Based on the Talbot effect, a method is developed for measuring the phase-to-amplitude ratio for gain gratings in saturated laser media. Experiments performed by this method showed that the gain grating induced in a Nd : YAG crystal is predominantly the amplitude one, with the phase-to-amplitude ratio of no more than 0.3 under our experimental conditions.