Self-guided operation of singly resonant continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator based on bulk MgO-doped PPLN

We report on a self-guided operation of a green-pumped singly resonant continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator with a bulk MgO-doped PPLN crystal. It is achieved by increasing the OPO cavity length beyond the stability boundary so that the OPO can only oscillate with formation of a thermally induced waveguide inside the crystal. The effects of the thermal waveguide on the OPO performance are studied by measuring output power characteristics at different cavity lengths. Improvement of spatial mode quality and stability of output power by self-guiding is demonstrated. Measurement of temporal characteristics proves that formation of the waveguide originates from the photo-thermal effect in the nonlinear crystal by absorption of pump power.     

Fiber-laser-based green-pumped continuous-wave singly-resonant optical parametric oscillator

Stable, high-power, second-harmonic-generation (SHG) of a compact CW Ytterbium (Yb) fiber laser at 1064 nm into the green and its use as a pump source for CW singly-resonant optical parametric oscillator (SRO) is demonstrated. Using a simple single-pass SHG configuration in MgO:sPPLT, as much as 9.6 W of single-frequency green radiation at 532 nm is generated from 30 W of fundamental power at a conversion efficiency of 32.7% in a Gaussian spatial profile with a beam quality factor of M ² < 1.3. Thermal effects have been investigated at different fundamental power levels and various thermal management schemes are employed to maximize the second-harmonic power. The green source is successfully deployed to pump a CW SRO tunable over 855–1408 nm, generating up to 2.1 W of idler at 1168 nm. The peak-to-peak idler power stability is better than 10.7% over 40 min, with beam quality factor M ² < 1.26 for the idler and M ² < 1.52 for the signal.     

Low-threshold, self-frequency-stabilized AgGaS(2) continuous-wave subharmonic optical parametric oscillator

We report the demonstration of a cw AgGaS(2) optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The subharmonic (3omega ? 2omega + omega) OPO is configured as a doubly resonant oscillator with weak pump enhancement. The temperature-tuned, noncritically phase-matched crystal is pumped by a diode laser at lambda(p) approximately 845 nm . Oscillation at lambda(s) approximately 1267 nm and lambda(i) approximately 2535 nm is observed at an input threshold power of 60 mW. Crystal thermal loading induces a robust passive self-frequency stabilization of any single-axial-mode pair to the OPO cavity resonance. The conversion efficiency is limited by thermal effects to 2% for a 200-mW pump input.     

Low-threshold femtosecond optical parametric oscillator based on chirped-pulse frequency conversion

We report what is to our knowledge the first demonstration of a femtosecond optical parametric oscillator based on chirped-pulse frequency conversion in a long crystal of aperiodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate. The minimum pump threshold power was 15 mW, and a signal slope efficiency of 35% was achieved. Continuous tuning from 1190 to 1450 nm was obtained for an average pump power of 800 mW.     

连续波光参量振荡器定向红外干扰

介绍了基于光纤激光器泵浦的光学参量振荡器发展现状及其在定向红外干扰技术中的应用前景,对定向红外干扰技术的一些基本原理进行了讨论。利用自研的一台基于光纤激光器泵浦的连续波光学参量振荡器,通过周期调谐的方式分别实现3.414,3.630和3.820 m的瓦级中红外激光输出。采用这3个波长的激光对中红外热像仪进行了干扰原理性实验。对比实验结果可以得出:对于3.820 m波长的中红外激光,当其辐照的HgCdTe探测器前功率密度大于10 W/cm2量级时,在传输750 m距离后,热像仪实现饱和效果并且非饱和区域图像灰度级发生较大变化,达到了掩盖有用信号的目的。     

连续波光参量振荡器定向红外干扰

介绍了基于光纤激光器泵浦的光学参量振荡器发展现状及其在定向红外干扰技术中的应用前景,对定向红外干扰技术的一些基本原理进行了讨论。利用自研的一台基于光纤激光器泵浦的连续波光学参量振荡器,通过周期调谐的方式分别实现3.414,3.630和3.820 m的瓦级中红外激光输出。采用这3个波长的激光对中红外热像仪进行了干扰原理性实验。对比实验结果可以得出:对于3.820 m波长的中红外激光,当其辐照的HgCdTe探测器前功率密度大于10 W/cm2量级时,在传输750 m距离后,热像仪实现饱和效果并且非饱和区域图像灰度级发生较大变化,达到了掩盖有用信号的目的。     

光纤激光泵浦MgO:PPLN高功率中波红外光参量振荡器

为实现高效率、高功率中波红外激光输出,研制基于MgO:PPLN晶体的中波红外光参量振荡器（OPO）,泵浦源为基于主振荡功率放大（MOPA）结构的线偏振掺Yb光纤激光器（YDFL）。实验结果表明:YDFL可实现最高79.1 W的1064.1 nm脉冲线偏振激光输出;在YDFL泵浦下,通过优化输出镜曲率半径和泵浦光束腰直径,该OPO实现最高9.15 W的3.754 μm脉冲激光输出,光光转换效率为11.57%,重复频率为300 kHz,脉冲宽度约为110 ns。     

Green-pumped high-power optical parametric oscillator based on periodically poled MgO-doped stoichiometric LiTaO3

A high-power 532 nm-pumped multikilohertz nanosecond optical parametric oscillator using a periodically poled 1.0 mol.% MgO-doped stoichiometric lithium tantalate crystal that could be operated from room temperature to 200 degrees C without damage is reported. A broad continuous tuning range from 855 to 1410 nm was achieved within a single domain period. Efficient operation of high peak power and watt level average power with a power conversion of 62.5% was measured. These results show that a high-resolution high average power visible tunable source can be realized.     

Low-pump-threshold continuous-wave singly resonant optical parametric oscillator

We describe a compact all-solid-state continuous-wave singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (SRO) with a minimal pump-power requirement. The SRO is based on periodically poled LiNbO(3) as the nonlinear material and is pumped by a 1-W diode-pumped Nd:YVO(4) minilaser at 1.064 microm . By exploiting the intracavity pumping technique in a 50-mm crystal, we have achieved SRO operation threshold at a diode pump power of only 310 mW.At 1 W of input diode power, the SRO delivers 70 mW of output power in the nonresonant idler at 3.66 microm , at a photon conversion efficiency of 55%. Multiparameter tuning of the SRO yields a signal wavelength range from 1.45 to 1.60 microm and an idler wavelength range from 3.16 to 4.02 microm in the mid infrared. The device is characterized by robust turnkey operation and long-term amplitude-stable performance.     

Tunable mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator with intracavity parametric amplification based on a dual-grating PPLN crystal

Intracavity amplification of the idler radiation of a nanosecond optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is achieved within a single dual-grating PPLN crystal composed of a uniform-grating section followed by a fan-out grating section. While all the OPO wavelength-tuning capabilities are preserved, this configuration leads to a 60?% increase of the 4-??m idler power and a significant beam quality improvement when compared to a conventional singly resonant OPO.     

Fiber-laser-pumped continuous-wave singly resonant optical parametric oscillator

We report on what is to our knowledge the first continuous-wave (cw) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) that is pumped by a tunable fiber laser. The OPO is singly resonant for the signal wave and consists of a 40-mm-long periodically poled LiNbO(3) crystal in a four-mirror ring cavity. At a pump power of 8.3 W provided by the wavelength-tunable Yb-doped fiber laser, the singly resonant OPO generates 1.9 W of 3200-nm cw idler radiation. The singly resonant OPO was tuned from 1515 to 1633 nm (signal) and from 3057 to 3574 nm (idler) by means of the crystal temperature and poling period. We obtained a wide idler tuning range, from 2980 to 3700 mn, by tuning the wavelength of the fiber laser from 1032 to 1095 nm.     

可调谐PPLN中红外光参量振荡器失调特性

 通过对晶体进行周期调谐,实现了中红外参量光输出,在此基础上研究了晶体移动、腔镜偏转等对失调特性的影响。结果表明：由于PPLN通道的小尺寸波导特性和参量振荡特性,其失调特性不同于常规激光器。PPLN晶体沿不同轴移动的功率变化曲线有不同的特点,沿x轴移动的失调容限大于沿y轴移动的失调容限;腔镜的失调容限与腔镜偏转方向有关,腔镜横向偏转的失调容限大于纵向偏转的失调容限;PPLN晶体温度和通道对失调容限几乎没有影响。     

高斯反射率镜单谐振光参量振荡器模式分析

采用高斯光束传输矩阵描述光参量谐振腔的行为,通过迭代计算模拟高斯光抽运高斯反射镜单谐振光参量振荡器的振荡过程,分析了谐振腔参数和抽运光口径对腔内输出模式的影响。报道了1 064μm脉冲抽运平 GRM腔单谐振非临界相位匹配KTP光参量振荡器的实验,其结果与理论分析相符。     

可调谐PPLN中红外光参量振荡器失调特性

通过对晶体进行周期调谐,实现了中红外参量光输出,在此基础上研究了晶体移动、腔镜偏转等对失调特性的影响。结果表明：由于PPLN通道的小尺寸波导特性和参量振荡特性,其失调特性不同于常规激光器。PPLN晶体沿不同轴移动的功率变化曲线有不同的特点,沿x轴移动的失调容限大于沿y轴移动的失调容限;腔镜的失调容限与腔镜偏转方向有关,腔镜横向偏转的失调容限大于纵向偏转的失调容限;PPLN晶体温度和通道对失调容限几乎没有影响。     

Microchip laser-pumped continuous-wave doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator

We report what we believe to be the first use of a multilongitudinal-mode frequency-doubled microchip laser to pump a doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO). This compact OPO is based on potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) and operates with a low pump power threshold of 35 mW. The OPO output consists of a single pair of signal and idler modes even though it is pumped with a multilongitudinal-mode pump laser. We achieved smooth tuning (1.7 GHz) of the output frequencies by temperature tuning of the pump laser.     

Dual-wavelength, two-crystal, continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator

We report a cw optical parametric oscillator (OPO) in a novel architecture comprising two nonlinear crystals in a single cavity, providing two independently tunable pairs of signal and idler wavelengths. Based on a singly resonant oscillator design, the device permits access to arbitrary signal and idler wavelength combinations within the parametric gain bandwidth and reflectivity of the OPO cavity mirrors. Using two identical 30 mm long MgO:sPPLT crystals in a compact four-mirror ring resonator pumped at 532 nm, we generate two pairs of signal and idler wavelengths with arbitrary tuning across 850-1430 nm, and demonstrate a frequency separation in the resonant signal waves down to 0.55 THz. Moreover, near wavelength-matched condition, coherent energy coupling between the resonant signal waves, results in reduced operation threshold and increased output power. A total output power >2.8 W with peak-to-peak power stability of 16% over 2 h is obtained.     

Study on broadly tunable optical parametric oscillator based on MgO-doped periodically poled LiNbO3 crystal

An efficient source of all-solid-state broadly tunable mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator based on a periodically poled MgO-doped lithium niobate is reported. The pump source is a 1064nm acousto-optically Q-switched diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser. A broadly tunable mid-infrared output from 1.56 to 1.67 μm were generated, with corresponding idler wavelengths of 3.34 to 2.93 μm by temperature tuning from 40 to 200°C. When the average pump power is 1.61 W with about 70 ns pulse duration operating at a repetition rate of 10 kHz, the maximum signal output power of the PPMgLN-OPO is about 211 mW at 1631 nm.     

High-efficiency,high-repetition-rate,temperature-tuning optical parametric oscillator based on periodically poled MgO-doped lithium niobate

We report a compact and viable source of high-efficiency, high-repetition-rate, temperature-tuning, mid-IR optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on periodically poled MgO-doped lithium niobate (PPMgOLN) pumped by a homemade high power AOM Q-switched Nd:YVO₄ laser centered at 1.064 μm. With an optimal plane-concave resonator configuration, average output power of 5.7 W at 2.73 μm was obtained when the pump power was 25 W at the repetition rate of 80 kHz. The conversion efficiency from the 1.064 μm laser to the 2.73 μm laser was 22.8%. Temperature tuning of the OPO yielded a signal wavelength range from 1.67 to 1.75 μm and an idler wavelength in the range of 2.72 to 2.92 μm.     

High-power, continuous-wave, mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator based on MgO:sPPLT

We report a stable, high-power, cw, mid-IR optical parametric oscillator using MgO-doped stoichiometric periodically poled LiTaO? (MgO:sPPLT) pumped by a Yb fiber laser at 1064 nm. The singly resonant oscillator (SRO), based on a 30 mm long crystal, is tunable over 430 nm from 3032 to 3462 nm and can generate as much as 5.5 W of mid-IR output power, with >4 W of over 60% of the tuning range and under reduced thermal effects, enabling room temperature operation. Idler power scaling measurements at ~3.3 μm are compared with an MgO-doped periodically poled LiNbO? cw SRO, confirming that MgO:sPPLT is an attractive material for multiwatt mid-IR generation. The idler output at 3299 nm exhibits a peak-to-peak power stability better than 12.8% over 5 h and frequency stability of ~1 GHz, while operating close to room temperature, and has a linewidth of ~0.2 nm, limited by the resolution of the wavemeter. The corresponding signal linewidth at 1570 nm is ~21 MHz.     

Diode-pumped continuous-wave widely tunable optical parametric oscillator based on periodically poled lithium tantalate

We report on a diode-laser pumped cw optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on quasi-phase-matched periodically poled lithium tantalate. Pumped by the 2.3-W single-frequency, nearly diffraction-limited 925-nm output of an InGaAs diode master-oscillator power amplifier, the pump and signal resonant OPO generates a single-frequency idler wave with an output of as much as 244 mW. The wavelengths of the signal and idler waves are widely tunable in the range 1.55-2.3mum by use of different poling periods (27.3 to 27.9mum) and by variation of the crystal temperature in the range 70-190 degrees C.