Spiral intensity patterns in the internally pumped optical parametric oscillator

We describe a nonlinear optical system that supports spiral pattern solutions in the field intensity. This new spatial structure is found to bifurcate above a secondary instability in the internally pumped optical parametric oscillator. The analytical predictions of threshold and spatial scale for the instability are supplemented by detailed numerical investigations of the formation of spiral patterns.     

High-energy, broadly tunable, narrow-bandwidth mid-infrared optical parametric system pumped by quasi-phase-matched devices

We have developed a tunable, narrow-bandwidth (<2 cm(-1)) mid-infrared (MIR) optical parametric system with a large-aperture periodically poled Mg-doped LiNbO(3) (LA-PPMgLN)-based high-energy pump source. The system has a continuously tunable tuning range from 4.6 to 11.2 mum and produces a maximum output energy of 2.0 mJ at 5.1 mum. Practical use of the MIR source is demonstrated by MIR-UV double-resonance spectroscopy of jet-cooled acetanilide.     

Synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillators

Recent work on the development of high-repetition-rate, synchronously pumped picosecond and femtosecond Optical Parametric Oscillators (OPOs) is reviewed. With KTP, BBO or LBO crystals and solid-state pumps such as cw mode-locked Ti:Sapphire, Nd:YAG or Nd:YLF lasers, the singly resonant OPOs or their nonlinear optical accessories yield pulses as short as 40 fs, average powers up to hundreds of milliwatts, and tunability from 200 nm to > 10 µm.     

Pulse characteristics of an optical parametric oscillator pumped by sub-30-fs light pulses

We obtained nearly transform-limited light pulses of 34 fs near 1.2 microm by pumping an optical parametric oscillator with a 2-mm-long KTP crystal by 26-fs pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser. The average power of the pulses that were obtained was greater than 50 mW, at an 80-MHz repetition rate. Attempts to downscale the pulse duration by decreasing the pump-pulse duration revealed remarkable limitations of the attainable pulse length for sub-30-fs pump pulses, in accordance with a recent theoretical study [J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 17, 741 (2000)].     

Optical parametric oscillators pumped by population-trapped atoms

We describe an optical parametric oscillator that is pumped by population-trapped atoms that are prepared with maximum coherence. The oscillator is based on the use of an effective nonlinear susceptibility that is of the same order as the linear susceptibility. Because the parametric gain is obtained in a single coherence length, the gain bandwidth can exceed the degenerate frequency. In Pb vapor the calculated gain is maximized at 1.88 microm and has a bandwidth of ~7500 cm(-1).     

ZnGeP2 parametric oscillator pumped by a linewidth-narrowed parametric 2 microm source

A tandem optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is used to convert radiation from 1.064 microm to the mid-infrared. Spectral bandwidth narrowing close to 80 times compared with a conventional cavity was achieved by using a bulk Bragg grating as an outcoupler in a near-degenerate periodically poled KTiOPO(4) OPO. The narrowed 2,008 nm radiation was subsequently used for pumping the ZnGeP(2) OPO, which was tunable between 3.3 and 5.2 microm. Pulse energies of 170 microJ and pump depletion close to 70% were obtained in the ZnGeP(2) OPO. To our knowledge this is the first time the output from a near-degenerate type I PPKTP OPO has been used for ZnGeP(2) OPO pumping.     

Synchronously pumped photonic crystal fiber-based optical parametric oscillator

We report the development of a compact, tunable synchronously pumped photonic crystal fiber (PCF)-based optical parametric oscillator (FOPO). The oscillator is pumped using a gain-switched laser diode producing 220?ps pulses around 1062?nm, amplified in a ytterbium doped amplifier to peak powers of 3.5?kW. The FOPO produces anti-Stokes pulses at wavelengths between 757 and 773?nm, with durations of 150?ps at average output powers exceeding 290?mW. The output slope efficiency of the device varies with output wavelength from 1.9 to 6.0%.     

基于层状WS2调制激光泵浦的光学参量振荡中红外运转特性

光学参量振荡器是重要的中红外相干光源.近年来,在激光调制方面,二维过渡金属硫化物展现了非线性可饱和吸收特性,因此有望成为光学参量振荡器基频激光的优良调制元件.本工作中,首先,实验测量了层状二硫化钨(WS₂)调制固体激光的输出特性.其次,结合主动声光Q开关,实现了主被动双调Q光参量振荡的运转,得到了纳秒脉冲宽度的中红外脉冲,并研究了WS₂对光参量转换的优化特性,发现WS₂纳米片除了能够压缩脉冲、提高峰值功率外,还能缓解单主动调Q光学参量振荡器中的"输出饱和下降"现象,这种现象可能起因于砷酸钛氧钾(KTiOAsO₄, KTA)的制冷不均匀. WS₂的可饱和吸收效应能够显著压缩光斑,减少高斯光斑的边缘能量,因此能够缓解KTA的温度梯度分布,从而优化输出特性.最后,基于WS₂的非线性透过率曲线,考虑非均匀展宽机制和大信号下的非饱和吸收,计算了WS₂的可饱和吸收特性参数,并求解了层状WS₂调制光学参量振荡器的速率方程组.本...     

Dye laser pumped, continuous-wave KTP optical parametric oscillators

4 (KTP) optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) with pump and idler resonant cavities. With a linear two-mirror cavity the pump power at threshold was 70 mW. The single-frequency signal and idler output wavelengths were tuned in the range of 1025 to 1040 nm and 1250 to 1380 nm by tuning the dye laser in the range of 565 to 588 nm. With a dual three-mirror cavity the threshold was 135 mW. Pumped by 500 mW of 578 nm radiation the 1040 nm single-frequency signal wave output power was 84 mW. Power and frequency stable operation with a spectral bandwidth of less than 9 MHz was obtained by piezo-electrically locking the length of the pump resonant cavity to the dye laser wavelength. Similar performance was achieved by placing the idler resonant OPO inside the resonator of the dye laser. With this system power stable and single-frequency operation was achieved with a spectral bandwidth of less than 11 MHz for the idler wave. Received: 3 February 1998/Revised version: 9 March 1998     

Synchronously pumped femtosecond optical parametric oscillator at 1053 nm

A femtosecond optical parametric oscillator synchronously pumped by a Ti:Sapphire oscillator is reported. By the cavity length tuning, the signal wavelength is continuously tuned from 1000 to 1200 nm. The average output power of 32 mW is obtained at 1053 nm. The pulse width is measured to be 342 fs by intensity autocorrelation method. In addition, we observed bichromatic emission during the cavity length tuning process. Supported by the National High Technology Program Research and Development Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 60490280 and 10804128), and the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB815104)     

Bidirectional, synchronously pumped, ring optical parametric oscillator

We report the operation of a bidirectional femtosecond pulsed ring optical parametric oscillator based on periodically poled lithium niobate, pumped alternately with nonsimultaneous pulses from a Ti:sapphire mode-locked laser. A beat note between the two counterpropagating beams attests to a gyro response without dead band. The sensitivity of the device to differential phase changes is demonstrated by measurement of the nonlinear index of lithium niobate.     

Megahertz optical parametric amplifier pumped by a femtosecond oscillator

We demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, an optical parametric amplifier directly pumped by a femtosecond oscillator. Wavelength-tunable pulses in the ranges 0.65-0.85 microm (signal) and 1.4-2.5 microm (idler) are generated at a repetition frequency of 1 MHz. For pumping the beta-barium borate crystal we use a microjoule Yb:KY(WO4)2 femtosecond oscillator with cavity dumping. Pulses with 30 nJ of energy and a duration of 16 fs are achieved from a supercontinuum seed generated in a sapphire plate.     

Evidence of four-wave parametric interaction in optically pumped NH3

This paper reports the first evidence of a near-resonant four-wave parametric interaction in gaseous ammonia using a single-pass NH₃ cell pumped by a 9R16 CO₂ TEA laser. Experimental signatures of these processes are clearly revealed by an accurate time-history of the FIR/MIR emission and by detuning measurements. A theoretical model is used to identify the relevant mechanisms responsible for each emission and confirms that both the 12.2 μm and 12.08 μm lines are produced by a four-wave parametric interaction involving the pump and two FIR lines.     

Influence of the sum frequency on optically pumped parametric amplifiers

Parametric traveling-wave interactions are calculated with the aid of a plane wave approximation, considering the 4 frequencies ω _s , ω _p , ω _I =ω _p ?ω _s and ω _Σ =ω _p +ω _s . Special attention is paid to the case where ω _p ?ω _s . Competition between parametric amplification and upconversion is studied as a function of phase matching and the results are illustrated by means of numerical examples. It is shown that parametric gain disappears if the linear combination of wave vectors, 2k _p-k_I-k_Σ, vanishes. In this situation upconversion with power gain up to about (ω _Σ /ω _s )² is possible. It is concluded that fork _p?k_s the sum frequency ω _Σ can significantly influence parametric forward amplification but does not affect backward wave amplification.     

低磁场S波段相对论返波振荡器的工作特性

为了实现高功率微波发生器的小型化,开展了S波段低磁场相对论返波振荡器工作特性的研究工作。由于S波段返波振荡器频率低,对应的电子回旋共振磁场强度也很低,因此低磁场条件下面临着电子束传输效率低和束波互作用效率低两大问题。为解决上述问题,采取下列措施：通过加大电子束与器件内壁的距离,提高电子束传输效率;采用较深的慢波结构作为提取腔,实现高束波互作用阻抗;提取腔前采用浅深度慢波结构,使提取腔区域的电子速度与微波相速同步。粒子模拟证明,以上措施有效,在引导磁场强度仅为0.17 T、电子束电压435 kV、电流6.5 kA的条件下,该返波管获得功率为670 MW、效率约为25%的输出微波。相对于常规S波段相对论返波振荡器的磁场系统(B=0.8 T),适用于该返波管的0.17 T低强度磁场系统螺线管外半径下降了20%,能耗下降了约93.8%。     

Four-photon parametric processes pumped by optical pulses with noise structure

A theoretical model of a transient nonlinear four-photon interaction in a fibre is proposed. An optimization of the efficiency of the parametric conversion is suggested.     

Stabilized diode laser pumped, idler-resonant cw optical parametric oscillator

We present a diode laser pumped continuous wave, pump-enhanced singly-resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The cavity is stabilized by a Pound?CDrever?CHall scheme using direct modulation of the diode laser. The system provides stable signal powers of up to 220?mW. The wavelength can be tuned between 1.40?C1.60???m for a ring or a linear cavity design by changing the crystal temperature. The relative fluctuations of the stabilized OPO??s wavelength are less than 10^?7 for more than one hour. Using a self-heterodyne technique, we measure a linewidth of the signal wave of 3.5?MHz.     

泵浦光的入射角对参量下转换的影响

利用参量下转换制备相关光子实现对各类探测器的量子效率的定标,是近年来兴起的新型定标技术。由于参量下转换的光子转换效率低,探测器输出信号信噪比小。采用短波激光器泵浦PPLN周期极化性晶体,可获得较大功率的参量光。分析了泵浦光在PPLN晶体端面的入射角对参量光的转换效率、空间分布、参量带宽及晶体周期的影响,并进行了数值模拟。分析发现当泵浦光正入射晶体端面时,参量光功率转换大,带宽小,发散角大;随着泵浦光入射角度逐渐增大,参量下转换的转换效率降低,相关光子的带宽变小,发散角变小且参量光的中心波长的空间位置会发生相对偏移。该研究结果可为相关光子探测、模拟探测器量子效率的高精度定标提供理论依据。