Picosecond Ti:sapphire-pumped optical parametric oscillator based on periodically poled LiNbO(3)

Periodically poled lithium niobate has been used in a singly resonant optical parametric oscillator pumped by a cw mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser. A tuning range of 1.15 to 2.4 microm was achieved when the pump was tuned, and this range was limited only by the mirror reflection bandwidth. Thresholds as low as 18 mW and an overall slope efficiency of 44% were observed, with average output powers of 130 mW (70 mW) for the signal (idler).