Exploring the criterion for the self-pulsing suppression of mid-IR intracavity OPO with self-Raman scattering

The stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) from the Nd:YVO₄ gain medium is originally employed to eliminate the self-pulsing effect from the intracavity optical parametric oscillator (OPO) for achieving a continuous-wave (CW) mid-infrared output. The SRS with a second-order pump-wave power depletion is applied as the damping for the coupling between OPO pump-wave relaxation oscillation and signal-wave depletion. The SRS threshold conditions for different cavity and diode-pumped mode size designs are theoretically and experimentally explored. By using different resonators, the CW mid-infrared output from 120 mW to 1.56 W at the diode pump power from 3 to 19.3 W can be successfully demonstrated.