Efficient generation of narrow-bandwidth picosecond pulses by frequency doubling of femtosecond chirped pulses

We demonstrate efficient generation of picosecond narrow-bandwidth pulses by frequency mixing of broadband opposite chirped pulses in a type I doubling crystal. This procedure allows us to produce picosecond pulses that are perfectly synchronized with femtosecond pulses. The experiment shows a decrease of the initial bandwidth by a factor of more than 30, while a high conversion efficiency is maintained.     

High efficiency second-harmonic generation in KNbO3 crystals

Second-harmonic generation in KNbO₃ crystals has been studied with CW and pulsed Al_xGa_1?xAs and dye lasers. High conversion efficiencies were obtained by noncritical Type I phase-matching at room temperature for the wavelength λ_PM = (860±2) nm using the nonlinear optical coefficient d₃₂ = 21 pm/V. The measured peak power was P_2ω=13.6 μW for a fundamental power P_ω=21 mW with a crystal of l = 8.97 mm in length. The phase-matching wavelength in the orthorhombic phase of KNbO₃ can be temperature tuned between 838 nm (for T = -36°C) and 950 nm (for T = +180°C).     

Quantum-noise measurements in high-efficiency single-pass second-harmonic generation with femtosecond pulses

The quantum-noise properties of single-pass second-harmonic blue-light generation with femtosecond pulses have been measured. A conversion efficiency of as much as 63.5% of second-harmonic generation at 428.8 nm was observed in a KNbO(3) crystal with femtosecond (130-fs) pulses with wavelengths centered at 857.6 nm. The quantum noise on the generated blue light was measured to be 1.0 dB (1.4 dB of squeezing inferred) below the shot-noise limit. The noise reduction was found to be sensitive to the average power and the center wavelength of the input fundamental pulses under the condition of strong pump depletion.     

High-efficiency blue generation by frequency doubling of femtosecond pulses in a thick nonlinear crystal

We have demonstrated highly efficient frequency doubling of femtosecond pulses in a thick, noncritically phase-matched KNbO(3) crystal under conditions of large group-velocity mismatch. At low power we observed a slope efficiency of ~300% nJ (-1) for harmonic conversion, and at higher powers we generated 170 mW of second-harmonic blue output for 300 mW of input light. Furthermore, we have shown that the focusing dependence for our conditions of large group-velocity mismatch is considerably different from that obtained for frequency doubling of continuous-wave light. We have also demonstrated that one can tune the spectral width of the generated blue light by varying the focusing conditions.     

Blue laser light generation by intracavity frequency doubling of Cesium vapor laser

Blue laser light with a wavelength 447 nm was generated by intracavity frequency doubling of a Cs laser in PPKTP crystal. A continuous wave power of 600 mW was obtained at an optical-to-optical efficiency of 4%. In the pulsed operation, when thermal effects were reduced, the efficiency obtained was 14% and the peak blue power was 2.1 W.     

飞秒激光在BBO晶体中倍频效率的数值计算

采用分步傅里叶法对飞秒激光在BBO晶体中倍频过程的效率进行了数值计算,分析表明这种方法既避免了其他数学方法的繁琐,又直观地展现了倍频过程的物理本质.针对有关实验条件,计算了脉宽为100fs的激光脉冲通过2mm长、Ⅰ类相位匹配的BBO晶体的倍频效率,计算结果与实验上对同样晶体倍频效率的测量是一致的. 关键词： 飞秒激光 倍频     

Frequency doubling of multi-terawatt femtosecond pulses

We present an experimental and theoretical study of the influence of the spatial beam quality (fluence and phase distributions) on the second-harmonic generation in KDP crystals pumped by 180-fs pulses at 790 nm. Conversion efficiency and beam focusability are investigated experimentally and theoretically by the numerical analysis of the second harmonic, considering effects due to the cubic nonlinearity, beam diffraction, group-velocity walk-off, and dispersion of the pulses. It was found that the uniform intensity and phase distributions of the fundamental beam are essential to obtain a high focal intensity of the second-harmonic beam. PACS 42.65.Ky; 42.65.Re     

The ferroelectric mode in orthorhombic KNbO3

Both Raman scattering and infrared reflectivity measurements have been performed to determine the complete optic mode spectrum of orthorhombic KNbO₃ and characterize the ferroelectric modes. The low frequency, k ～ 0 mode is quasitransverse and possesses a spacial anisotropy similar to the TA branch at finite k. Of the original cubic ferroelectric mode, the component along the remaining soft direction is found at 56 cm^-1 and not overdamped (Γ/ω = 1), while the other two components have stiffened equally so that the mode is essentially isotropic in the orthogonal polarizations.     

Phase-matched second harmonic blue light generation in ion implanted KNbO3 planar waveguides with 29% conversion efficiency

We report for the first time to our knowledge, noncritical phase-matched second harmonic generation in an ion-implanted KNbO₃ planar waveguide. The guided TM₀ mode of the fundamental wave (868 nm) is converted into the second harmonic TE₁ mode (434 nm). From 1.3 kW of internal fundamental peak power 385 W second harmonic blue light is generated giving a conversion efficiency of 29%. A comparison of the measured and the theoretical efficiencies implies that phase-matching is achieved over the full waveguide length. Based on these first experimental results we estimate that 100 mW of blue light can be generated from 400 mW of input power using an optimized KNbO₃ planar waveguide of 1 cm length.     

High-efficiency difference frequency generation in LiNbO3

We report efficient (50%) difference frequency generation of infrared radiation in LiNbO₃. The quantum conversion efficiency shows good qualitative agreement with the exact coupled wave solution. Analysis of this solution shows that the ratio of pump to idler power should be large for optimum output power. This result is a distinct departure from the small signal analysis. Our results indicate that total conversion to the infrared is possible in commercially available crystal lengths.     

Raman study of phase transitions in KNbO3

The influence of grain size on the phase transitions of ferroelectric KNbO₃ was studied by micro Raman spectroscopy. It was found that the three transitions observed are not sharp for small particles (∼50 μm), indicating that they do not behave like bulk particles. The transition temperatures depend on the size and all particles show hysteresis. From these experiments we have obtained some evidence that in small particles monodomains of the rhombohedral and orthorhombic phases coexist in a range of temperatures.     

Achromatic multibeam coupling in KNbO3: Rb

We examine, both theoretically and experimentally, photorefractive coupling in KNbO₃: Rb with beams at several wavelengths in a dual grating achromatic arrangement. It is shown that, at normal incidence, the coupling gain in the multi-wavelength achromatic configuration is nearly equal to the gain of two beam coupling with a monochromatic source of the same intensity. The dependence of the achromatic gain on the angle between the bisector, of the pump and signal beams, and the normal to the crystal surface is also studied.     

Optical anisotropy of LiNbO3 and KNbO3 in the interband transition region

The reflectivity of single domain crystals of LiNbO₃ and KNbO₃ has been measured using linearly polarized light up to 10 eV. The Kramers-Kronig analysis reveals a large anisotropy of the optical constants in the interband transition region. It is shown that the large electro-optic effects observed in these compounds are due to transitions in a relatively narrow spectral region above the band edge only.     

Persistence of tetragonal raman lines in cubic KNbO3

The temperature dependence of the vibrationnal modes in KNbO₃ around the cubic-tetragonal phase transition is studied by Raman scattering measurements. An unexpected intense spectrum is observed above the transition. In addition to broad bands probably due to second order process, it consists of forbidden lines which are characteristic of the tetragonal phase. In particular the presence of the hard component of the soft ferroelectric cubic mode until 30° above T_c can be attributed to the existence of a precursor order near the transition.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance of Fe3+ in orthorhombic KNbO3

EPR spectra of KNbO₃:Fe single crystals are obtained in the - 10–110°C temperature range. The angular dependence of resonant lines is well reproduced by spin Hamiltonian parameters relevant to a Fe³⁺ impurity ion substituted to Nb ion in KNbO₃ crystal. The temperature behaviour of resonant lines is explained by a quadratic dependence of axial parameter D vs polarization P_s of the form D = βP²_s in the orthorhombic phase.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance of Fe3+ in KNbO3 at 300 K

In the orthorhombic phase of KnbO₃ an EPR spectrum of Fe³⁺ substitutional for Nb⁵⁺ has been observed with the main axis parallel to the pseudocubic one of the orthorhombic phase. The cubic parameter a is very close to the one in BaTiO₃. A second spectrum probably due to local charge compensation is also reported.     

Violet light generation by frequency doubling of GaAlAs diode laser using a metallo-organic complex crystal ZnCd(SCN)4

Violet 404-nm radiation is generated by type-I single-pass frequency doubling of the output of an GaAlAs diode laser in critically phase-matched ZnCd(SCN)₄ (ZCTC) crystal, a metallo-organic complex crystal. In this paper, its refractive index and second-harmonic generation phase-matching angles are reported. Using a 3-mm-long ZCTC crystal, a diode laser power of 473 mW generated 390 μW of second-harmonic radiation. More recently, 380-nm, 20 μW ultraviolet (UV) radiation is also realized by frequency doubling of the 100 mW output of a continuous-wave Ti:sapphire laser at 760 nm. ZCTC is a promising UV nonlinear optical candidate material for frequency doubling of diode lasers.     

Propagation of femtosecond light pulses

Femtosecond transform limited light pulse propagation in vacuum is described in scalar approximation of diffraction theory. Evolution of the spatial and temporal characteristics of the pulse are presented.     

Light scattering by polariton modes of KNbO3 in orthorhombic phase

The polariton modes of A₁, B₁ and B₂ species in biaxial KNbO₃ are observed by near forward Raman scattering. The oscillator strengths and dielectric constants along the principal axes are determined from the polariton dispersion. The mode assignments of each species are also discussed.     

Raman spectroscopy of the orthorombic-rombohedral structural transition in ferroelectric KNbO3

We report the low frequency Raman behaviour of KNbO₃ at the orthorombic-rombohedral structural transition. Our measurements suggest that the 50 cm^?1 quasimode peak may be attributed to the one phonon density of states triggered to a second order event by a slow fluctuation.