Pulsed optical parametric generation, amplification, and oscillation in monolithic periodically poled lithium niobate crystals

• Published in: IEEE journal of quantum electronics 2004-06, Vol.40 (6), p.791-799
• Main Authors: CHIANG, An-Chung, WANG, Tsong-Dong, TSAO, Pei-Hsi, LIN, Yen-Yin, LAU, Chee-Wai, CHEN, Yen-Hung, WONG, Bi-Cheng, HUANG, Yen-Chieh, SHY, Jow-Tsong, LAN, Yu-Pin, CHEN, Yung-Fu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Distributed feedback devices; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Laser excitation; Lithium niobate; Nonlinear optical crystals; Nonlinear optics; Optical feedback; Optical materials; Optical parametric oscillators and amplifiers; Optical pulse generation; Optical pumping; Optics; Physics; Pulse amplifiers; Pump lasers; Stimulated emission; Ultrafast processes; optical pulse generation and pulse compression
• ISSN: 0018-9197; 1558-1713
• DOI: 10.1109/JQE.2004.828269

We conducted a series of passively Q-switched Nd:YAG laser pumped optical parametric generation, amplification, and oscillation experiments in monolithic periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystals. Double-pass optical parametric generation with an effective gain length of 10 cm in a PPLN crystal was performed in comparison with single-pass operation in the same crystal. By seeding a PPLN optical parametric amplifier with a distributed feedback (DFB) diode laser, we produced 200-ps transform-limited laser pulses at 1549.6 nm and observed parametric gain competition at different pump levels. For optical parametric oscillations, we first demonstrated 22% power efficiency from a 2.4-cm intrinsic-cavity PPLN optical parametric oscillator pumped by a 4.2-ns, 10-kW passively Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. Preliminary studies on DFB optical parametric oscillators in PPLN are mentioned. The temporal and spectral properties of these optical parametric generators, amplifiers, and oscillators are characterized and discussed.