Polarization of radiation emitted by solid-state lasers with passive Q switches

An experimental investigation was made of the influence of a phase, amplitude, and amplitude-phase anisotropy on the polarization of the radiation emitted by passively Q-switched lasers. Abrupt changes in the direction of polarization by ± 90 ° from one pulse to another were observed and interpreted. It was found that the special features of the polarization characteristics observed when switches were made of LiF crystals with F₂^– color centers were associated with the residual birefringence of the original crystals. The use of highly homogeneous LiF samples made it possible to observe for the first time the emission of modes with an axisymmetric polarization in the case of periodic Q switching.