Microsecond pulsed optical parametric oscillator pumped by a Q-switched fiber laser

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Laser Technology
• Nonlinear Optics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) are crucial for generating tunable laser light.
• Pulsed laser pumping is essential for efficient OPO operation.
• Solid-state lasers offer advantages in power and tunability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the first optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by microsecond pulses from a wavelength-tunable solid-state laser.
• To characterize the performance and tuning capabilities of this novel laser system.
• To explore the potential of this system for mid-infrared light generation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a singly resonant OPO (SRO) based on a periodically poled LiNbO3 crystal.
• Employed microsecond pulses (2.1 µs) from an actively Q-switched Yb fiber laser as the pump source.
• Investigated tuning via crystal temperature, poling period, and all-electronic tuning of the pump laser wavelength.

Main Results:

• Achieved an average output power of 560 mW at 3360 nm with a repetition rate of 25 kHz.
• Demonstrated tuning of the SRO signal from 1518 to 1634 nm and idler from 3145 to 3689 nm.
• Obtained 195 nm tuning of the mid-infrared idler wavelength by tuning the pump laser over 19 nm.

Conclusions:

• Successfully demonstrated a novel OPO system pumped by microsecond pulses from a tunable solid-state laser.
• The system exhibits efficient mid-infrared generation with significant tuning capabilities.
• This work paves the way for advanced tunable mid-infrared light sources.