Acoustic intensity modulation of solid-state lasers by means of a rocking mirror

Intensity modulation was produced in ruby and YAG:Nd³⁺ lasers by varying the angle of inclination of one of the resonator mirrors (rocking the mirror) at an ultrasonic frequency. Modulation occurred at twice the frequency of the excited mirror vibrations, the average intensity of the emission spikes simultaneously increased by a factor of more than 10, but the total energy per pulse remained unchanged. A study was made of the dependence of the average peak intensity on the rocking amplitude of the mirror for diflferent pump energies. The rocking mirror method was found to be the most efficient for intensity modulation in lasers with a four-level active medium.