Superluminescence of plate-shaped neodymium glass active elements

An investigation was made of the influence of superluminescence on the energy stored in a plate-shaped neodymium glass active element in the course of optical pumping. A mathematical model and numerical methods were developed for calculation of the spatial and temporal distributions of a population inversion in an active element in the presence of superluminescence. A numerical investigation was made of the efficiency of the optical pumping for different powers delivered to an active element in the form of a plate of L_x X L_y X L_z = 72 X 24 X 4 cm dimensions made of Nd glass of the GLS 22P type, and also for several active elements with smaller dimensions of the principal diagonal. A diagnostic method based on the experimental inversion profile was developed for the determination of the degree of influence of superluminescence on the energy stored in an active element.