Chirped-mirror dispersion-compensated femtosecond optical parametric oscillator

We describe the operating characteristics of a femtosecond optical parametric oscillator employing chirped mirrors for intracavity group-velocity dispersion compensation. Pumped by 760 mW of power from a self-mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser, this device provides 100-fs near-transform-limited pulses continuously tunable from 1.18 to 1.32 microm with an average power of 100-180 mW. The limitations of the present setup and strategies for further pulse shortening are discussed.