Editing Lasing threshold (section)

===Measuring the internal losses===
The analysis above is predicated on the laser operating in a steady-state at the laser threshold. However, this is not an assumption which can ever be fully satisfied. The problem is that the laser output power varies by orders of magnitude depending on whether the laser is above or below threshold. When very close to threshold, the smallest perturbation is able to cause huge swings in the output laser power. The formalism can, however, be used to obtain good measurements of the internal losses of the laser as follows:<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Findlay | first1=D. | last2=Clay | first2=R.A. | title=The measurement of internal losses in 4-level lasers | journal=Physics Letters | publisher=Elsevier BV | volume=20 | issue=3 | year=1966 | issn=0031-9163 | doi=10.1016/0031-9163(66)90363-5 | pages=277–278| bibcode=1966PhL....20..277F }}</ref>

Most types of laser use one mirror that is highly reflecting, and another (called the [[output coupler]]) that is partially reflective. Reflectivities greater than 99.5% are routinely achieved in [[dielectric mirror]]s. The analysis can be simplified by taking <math>R_1 = 1</math>. The reflectivity of the output coupler can then be denoted <math>R_\text{OC}</math>. The equation above then simplifies to

:<math> 2g_\text{threshold}\,l = 2\alpha_{0}l - \ln R_\text{OC} </math>.

In most cases the [[laser pumping|pumping]] power required to achieve lasing threshold will be proportional to the left side of the equation, that is <math>P_\text{threshold} \propto 2g_\text{threshold}\,l</math>. (This analysis is equally applicable to considering the threshold energy instead of the threshold power. This is more relevant for pulsed lasers). The equation can be rewritten:

:<math>P_\text{threshold} = K(\,L - \ln R_\text{OC}\,)</math>,

where <math>L</math> is defined by <math>L = 2\alpha_{0}l </math> and <math>K</math> is a constant. This relationship allows the variable <math>L</math> to be determined experimentally.

In order to use this expression, a series of [[Slope efficiency|slope efficiencies]] have to be obtained from a laser, with each slope obtained using a different output coupler reflectivity. The power threshold in each case is given by the [[x-intercept|intercept]] of the slope with the x-axis. The resulting power thresholds are then plotted versus <math> -\ln R_\text{OC}</math>. The theory above suggests that this graph is a straight line. A line can be fitted to the data and the intercept of the line with the x-axis found. At this point the x value is equal to the round trip loss <math>L = 2\alpha_{0}l</math>. Quantitative estimates of <math>g_\text{threshold}</math> can then be made.

One of the appealing features of this analysis is that all of the measurements are made with the laser operating above the laser threshold. This allows for measurements with low random error, however it does mean that each estimate of <math> P_\text{threshold}</math> requires extrapolation. 

A good empirical discussion of laser loss quantification is given in the book by W. Koechner.<ref>W. Koechner, ''Solid-State Laser Engineering'', Springer Series in Optical Sciences, Volume 1, Second Edition, Springer-Verlag 1985, {{ISBN|0-387-18747-2}}.</ref>