We report two cw, singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO) configurations based on periodically poled lithium niobate that result in significantly higher efficiency and output power than in previous studies. Using four-mirror OPO cavities and pumping with a 1.064-microm Nd:YAG laser, we observe 93% pump depletion and obtain ~86% of the converted pump photons as useful idler output. The single-beam, in-the-bucket idler output power of 3.55 W at 3.25 microm corresponds to ~80% of quantum-limited performance. We measure and compare the amplitude noise and spectral bandwidth of the two configurations. We also demonstrate >1 W of tunable cw output over the 3.3-3.9-microm spectral range.
We report a widely tunable quasi-phase-matched optical parametric oscillator that uses periodically poled LiNbO(3)with a multigrating structure. The device is tuned by translation of the crystal through the resonator and pump beam, with no realignment needed. With a 1.064-microm acousto-optically Q-switched Nd:YAG pumplaser, we produced noncritically phase-matched tunable IR output from 1.36 to 4.83 microm. The threshold was 6 microJ for a 26-mm interaction length. The extraordinary polarization of LiNbO(3) has better IR transmission than does the ordinary polarization, permitting operation at longer wavelengths with d(33) quasi-phase matching than with conventional Type I birefringent phase matching.
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