Noncritical phase-matched lithium triborate optical parametric oscillatorfor high resolution coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering spectroscopy and microscopy

• Published in: Applied physics letters 2006-12, Vol.89 (25), p.251116-251116-3
• Main Authors: Jurna, M., Korterik, J. P., Offerhaus, H. L., Otto, C.
• Format: Article
• ISSN: 0003-6951; 1077-3118
• DOI: 10.1063/1.2420773

An efficient, widely tunable, narrow-bandwidth, green-pumped, noncritical phase-matched lithium triborate based optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is applied to coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy and microscopy. The tunable signal beam ( 740 - 930 nm ) of the OPO is combined with the fundamental of a Nd : Y V O 4 pump laser ( 1064 nm , 15 ps ) to obtain high resolution vibrational spectra of molecules around the CH vibrational stretch ( 2700 - 3100 cm − 1 ) . The straightforward and convenient tunability of the OPO is demonstrated by CARS microscopy for the identification of different polymer microparticles on the same substrate.