Power output and efficiency of continuous ruby lasers

Considerable improvement in the performance of continuous room-temperature ruby lasers has been obtained since the report of the first operation of such a laser. Thus, power outputs of up to 1.3 W with incremental (above threshold) efficicncies of have been observed. Perhaps of equal significance is the fact that it has been possible to obtain good agreement between the experimentally observed dependence of power output and efficiency on various laser parameters and the theoretical computations of this dependence. This agreement aids greatly in optimizing the design of continuous ruby lasers, in indicating the directions of future development, and in predicting the performance which can reasonably be expected in the future.