Abstract
The measurement errors of small signal gain g0 and saturation parameter Is were analysed using a computer simulation for an amplifying medium with radial distribution. The beam distortion taking place in such a was found to cause considerable errors in the values of g0 and Is obtained using the equation
In G=g0L-1/Is (G-1) IinIn the case of a CO2 waveguide laser of 2 mmφ bore and 10 cm discharge length, the error amounts to as high as 18% for g0 and the latter 25% for Is. The errors estimated in this paper can be used for correcting the measured values of g0 and Is.
