Noncritically phase-matched Ti:sapphire-pumped femtosecond optical parametric oscillator based on RbTiOAsO(4)

The operation of a Ti:sapphire-laser-pumped femtosecond optical parametric oscillator based on the new nonlinear material RbTiOAsO(4) is described. Oscillation has been observed for pump powers as low as 50 mW, and output powers as high as 185 mW have been measured. With intracavity prisms for dispersion compensation, transformlimited pulses of less than 70-fs duration have been produced. Under noncritical phase matching, a signal (idler) tuning range over 110 nm (330 nm) is demonstrated with pump tuning.