Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Spontaneous self-pulsing has been observed in a 10.6-μ CO2 laser, Q-switched in ≈10 nsec by an internal GaAs electro-optic cell, with no saturable absorber present. Each Q-switched event consists of a train of ten or more 20-nsec pulses with a total duration of ≈400 nsec in a single P(20) line. Electro-optic dumping of the cavity energy near the peak of oscillation gives a single output pulse of ≈10-kW peak power and 25-nsec duration. A numerical comparison is made with the circulating π pulse theory of spontaneous pulsing.
Bridges et al. (1969) studied this question.