Optical parametric amplification of a gain-switched picosecond laser diode

Optical parametric amplification, employing periodically poled KTiOPO4 as the gain medium, was used to amplify radiation emitted by a gain-switched laser diode. The pulses, which had durations between 20 ps and 2 ns, were amplified with up to 50 dB in a double stage set-up and reached pulse energies of 1 and 23 microJ, respectively.