Solve the following problems

(1) A HeNe laser has a mirror separation of 0.5 m. Given that the width of the gain curves 1500 MHz, estimate the maximum number of mode frequencies possible in (a) a confocal cavity (r1=r2=L) and (b) a cavity where r1=r2=2L. (2) Estimate the line width of a single-mode HeNe laser, L=1m, R1 = 0.99, R2 = 0.96. (3) A HeNe laser operating on a single TEM00 mode has a meter long cavity based on aluminum. Estimate the frequency drift resulting from a 0.5 o C change in ambient temperature. Take the thermal expansion coefficient of aluminum to be 2.5 x 10-5 K-1. (4) Show that if the irradiance of a Gaussian beam is written I=I0 exp (-2r2/W2), where r is measured from the center of the beam, then the total amount of power carried by the beam is I0 W2/2. A 100 W CO2 CW laser operating in a single TEM00 mode is focused down to spot where the beam radius (i.e. W) is 0.5 mm. Calculate the irradiance at the center of the spot. (5) An HeNe laser operating in a single TEM00 mode at 632.8 nm has a mirror separation of 0.5 m with mirrors where r = r = 1 m, calculate the minimum beam diameter (w0) and the beam diameter at distances of 1 m and 10 m away from the minimum. (6) Given that the red cadmium line, of wavelength 643.8 nm, has a width of 0.3 nm, estimate the coherence length. (7) Given that the halfwidth of the 10.6 m transition of a low-pressure CO2 laser is 60 MHz, calculate the coherence length of the laser. Show that, if the cavity length is 1 m, then not more than one longitudinal mode will oscillate. Given that the mirror reflectances are 1 and 0.95, calculate the Q value of the cavity and use this to estimate the expected maximum coherence length. Why do these two results differ? (8) Compare the pulse separation and pulse duration in a mode-locked Nd: YAG laser where the fluorescent linewidth is 1.1 x 1011 Hz and the laser rod is 0.1 m long. Assume the laser mirrors are very close to the ends of the rod.