Aspects of the use of phase-conjugating mirrors in single-pulse Nd3+ glass lasers

A study was made of the characteristics of a neodymium glass laser system using phase-conjugating mirrors to compensate optical imperfections. Attention was mainly directed at optical imperfections associated with the thermooptics of the active elements characterized by birefringence and a spatial spectrum of relatively low frequency. It was found that one of the factors limiting the laser output energy density is stimulated Brillouin scattering in the glass of the output active elements.