Mode-locked optical parametric oscillator apparatus
US4180751A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 8, 1978 |
| Grant date | Dec 25, 1979 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 8, 1998 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/1109
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Improved mode-locked optical parametric oscillator apparatus comprises a mode-locked pump laser having a cavity with a predetermined effective length l.sub.p and a parametric oscillator having a nonlinear crystal, such as lithium niobate (LiNbO.sub.3), and singly resonant mirrors spaced apart by an effective distance l.sub.o which is substantially less than l.sub.p, i.e., l.sub.p .apprxeq.nl.sub.o where n.apprxeq.5-50. The interaction of the mode-locked pump output with the nonlinear crystal produces parametric outputs at signal (f.sub.s) and idler (f.sub.i) frequencies, the parametric oscillator mirrors being singly resonant at one of those two frequencies. The parametric oscillator may be disposed either externally of or within the pump cavity and the pump laser optionally may be Q-switched. The parametric oscillator apparatus of this invention greatly increases the stability of the mode-locked output under normal operating conditions and enables relatively wide tuning of the apparatus without adjustment of the pump or oscillator cavity lengths.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.