Dye laser pulse shortening and stabilization by Q-switching

The properties of passive Q-switched short-cavity dye lasers (SCDL) and passive Q-switched distributed-feedback dye lasers (DFDL) are investigated theoretically by using rate-equation models. The calculations, in agreement with experimental results, predict a significant decrease of the pulse energy fluctuation and the pulse duration of both the SCDL and DFDL, when passive Q-switching is used.