Injection seeding of an infrared optical parametric oscillator with a tunable diode laser

Area of Science:

• Nonlinear Optics
• Laser Physics
• Materials Science (Lithium Niobate)

Background:

• Optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) are versatile sources of tunable laser light.
• Lithium niobate (LiNbO3) is a widely used nonlinear crystal for OPOs.
• Injection seeding enhances OPO performance, enabling narrower linewidths and improved stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the injection seeding of a lithium niobate OPO.
• To achieve tunable output in the infrared region using a diode laser seed source.
• To characterize the performance of the injection-seeded OPO.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a lithium niobate optical parametric oscillator.
• Pumped the OPO using a Nd:YAG laser.
• Employed a continuous-wave diode laser for injection seeding across the signal waveband.

Main Results:

• Successfully achieved injection seeding for signal wavelengths from 1.526 to 1.578 micrometers.
• Observed corresponding idler wavelengths ranging from 3.26 to 3.51 micrometers.
• At a signal wavelength of 1.535 micrometers, generated 7.6 mJ of signal radiation with a bandwidth of 0.18 GHz from 75 mJ pump energy.

Conclusions:

• Injection seeding with a diode laser is an effective method for controlling the output of lithium niobate OPOs.
• The demonstrated system provides tunable infrared radiation with a narrow spectral bandwidth.
• This technique is promising for applications requiring precise wavelength control in the infrared spectrum.