Emanuel Gustin, in his nice description of a dye laser, mentioned the use of an etalon for wavelength selection. It's been so long since I used a dye laser (the 1980's) that I honestly can't remember whether it used an etalon or a prism; the new Spectra-Physics models seem to use either prisms or gratings. The important point is that the spectral dispersive element, be it a prism, etalon, grating, or filter, allows only a narrow range of wavelengths to go down the center of the laser system, providing much higher gain for these wavelengths than for others, and sustaining laser action only in the selected wavelength region. -Howard
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