Diffraction loss analysis of a plane-parallel optical cavity with a phase step and a slit aperture

A model for calculating the round trip diffraction loss in a plane-mirror cavity with an intracavity phase step and an infinite slit aperture is developed. The round trip remaining intensity fraction for the low order transverse cavity modes can be calculated for any given location of the slit aperture and the phase step along the cavity and for any given phase delay on the phase step. The diffraction loss on the slit aperture is found to be a periodic function of the phase delay on the phase step. Transformation of the lasing spectrum emitted from a broadband pulsed dye laser on moving the phase step along the oscillator cavity is reproduced theoretically. The lasing spectrum affected by the phase step is interpreted as the wavelength dependence of the remaining intensity fraction for the principal transverse mode.

► Round trip diffraction loss for a cavity with a phase step is analyzed.
► Diffraction loss is a periodic function of the phase delay on the step.
► This period doubles on moving the phase step from cavity center to end mirror.
► Lasing spectrum mimics the phase-step-induced change in the diffraction loss.