Broadband optical parametric amplification at the communication band with periodically poled lithium niobate

We report broadband optical parametric generation (OPG) in a single periodically poled lithium niobate crystal with a picosecond pump pulse at a fixed wavelength. We also demonstrate efficient optical parametric amplification of a broadband seed pulse within the quasi-phase-matched OPG band. The broad parametric gain band is attributed to group-velocity matching and degeneracy between the signal and idler, and the broad spectral width of the pumping source.