Temporal and spectral characteristics of radiation from a cw neodymium-doped garnet laser with a nonplanar ring resonator

A report is given of theoretical and experimental investigations of the kinetics of emission from a YAG:Nd³⁺ laser with a nonplanar ring resonator. Laser equations are derived allowing for the ellipticity of the polarization of the opposite waves. A numerical solution of the kinetic equations and experimental measurements show that it is possible to establish high-frequency and low-frequency self-modulation of the laser radiation and infrequent switching of the direction of emission. Under conditions of infrequent switching, the laser radiation is unidirectional and single-frequency for several seconds even in the absence of nonreciprocal elements.