Thermal lens spectrometry using a broadly tunable optical parametric oscillator

We present a computerized optical parametric oscillator that is capable of continuous tuning from approximately 420 nm to 2 µm for spectroscopic and spectrometric applications. This system allows any selected wavelength within the tuning range to be reached directly and quickly. We demonstrate the versatility of the system by measuring the entire visible (450-690-nm) thermal lens spectrum of NO(2) with a continuous scan.