Mode selection in high-power argon lasers

An analysis is made of the feasibility of using various types of resonators for mode selection in a highpower cw argon laser with large-aperture discharge tube. Three resonator configurations were investigated experimentally. Single-frequency radiation with a power of 20 W at λ =514.5 nm and a coefficient of conversion to the single-frequency regime of η≈0.4 was obtained from an argon laser with a discharge tube of diameter d =14 mm and active length l₀≈1.7 m. Some aspects of further improvement of the output parameters of a high-power argon laser with mode selection are discussed.