Low-threshold diode-laser-pumped OPOs based on QPM materials
Although attractive as compact sources of tunable infrared radiation, optical parametric oscillators pumped directly by single-mode diode lasers require extremely low thresholds. This talk will discuss the realisation of such low-threshold devices using QPM materials.
Frequency-stable operation of a diode-pumped continuous-wave RbTiOAsO(4) optical parametric oscillator.
Frequency-stable operation of a diode-pumped continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator (OPO) of RbTiOAsO(4) is demonstrated. Piezoelectric and fast electro-optic control of the optical length of the two-mirror OPO cavity (resonant for the pump and the idler waves) compensates for thermal changes in the refractive index of the OPO crystal (induced by absorption of pump light) and acoustic perturbations of the cavity length. Pumped by 405mW of the 810-nm output of a GaAlAs masterf-oscillator-tapered-amplifier diode laser system, the OPO generates a power-stable single-frequency signal wave at 1.24microm with an output of 84mW and a spectral bandwidth of less than 10MHz.
Periodically poled lithium niobate and quasi-phase-matched optical parametric oscillators
Since their introduction two years ago, quasi-phase-matched (QPM) optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) have moved into the mainstream of OPO research. This has been made possible by continuing improvements and availability of the microstructured nonlinear material periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN). Demonstrations of PPLN OPOs now span the range of pulse formats and power levels. The most significant area of development is low-peak-power devices where operation with conventional materials is difficult. In this paper, we describe the current state of this research, including OPOs pumped by high-repetition-rate (>30 kHz) Q-switched diode-pumped solid state lasers, and CW singly resonant OPOs with >3-W output power in the 3-4-/spl mu/m range.