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ABSTRACT: The recent achievement of reliable quasi-phasematching (QPM) in periodically poled crystals, and in particular periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN), has empowered even more the use of nonlinear optical mixings in frequency connections. As is well-known, QPM gives access to the largest nonlinear coefficients of the material (which are almost never usable for birefringent phasematching - BPM), suppresses walk-off, and gives great flexibility in the choice of the wavelengths involved in the nonlinear mixing. Simultaneous QPM of different interactions in the same crystal is now easy to obtain by poling different regions of the crystal with the different corresponding periods. But even a single-period (50% duty cycle) crystal offers many QPM cascading possibilities, which are impossible most of the time with BPM because of constraints on the optical polarizations. We experimentally realized third-harmonic generation (THG) by cascading second-harmonic generation (SHG: ω→2ω) and sum frequency generation (SFG: ω+2ω→3ω), which of course realizes a 3:1 frequency connection
Nonlinear Optics '98: Materials, Fundamentals and Applications Topical Meeting; 09/1998
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ABSTRACT: We report an efficient, high-power, cw, 629-nm laser source based on a diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser and a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) frequency converter. This device integrates two separate frequency-conversion steps in a single crystal, taking advantage of the ability to fabricate PPLN with nearly arbitrary grating periods and phase-matching temperatures. This device uses a single PPLN crystal that has two grating regions in series. The first region quasi-phase matches a standard optical parametric oscillator process (1064nm?1540nm +3450nm), and the second region quasi-phase matches a sum-frequency process whereby the pump and the signal light make red light (1064nm+1540nm ?629nm). Using a four-mirror ring cavity, we were able to convert 21% of the 1064-nm pump to 629-nm output, yielding 2.5W of red output with 11.8W of input.
Optics Letters 03/1998; 23(3):207-9. · 3.40 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Since their introduction two years ago, quasi-phase-matched (QPM)
optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) have moved into the mainstream of
OPO research. This has been made possible by continuing improvements and
availability of the microstructured nonlinear material periodically
poled lithium niobate (PPLN). Demonstrations of PPLN OPOs now span the
range of pulse formats and power levels. The most significant area of
development is low-peak-power devices where operation with conventional
materials is difficult. In this paper, we describe the current state of
this research, including OPOs pumped by high-repetition-rate (>30
kHz) Q-switched diode-pumped solid state lasers, and CW singly resonant
OPOs with >3-W output power in the 3-4-μm range
IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics 11/1997; · 1.88 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We observed cw third-harmonic generation in a periodically poled LiNbO(3) crystal by cascading optimally phase-matched second-harmonic and sum-frequency generation. Other processes, such as fourth-harmonic generation, are allowed by the flexibility of quasi-phase matching. We demonstrate a divide-by-nine (1.19- 10.71-microm) frequency chain that uses only two lasers.
Optics Letters 09/1997; 22(16):1211-3. · 3.40 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on periodically poled LiNbO(3) is pumped by a Nd:YAG-based oscillator-modulator-amplifier source. This pump source, operating at 1.064 μm, provides the ability to control the temporal characteristics of the OPO waveform. We illustrate pulse tailoring by demonstrating three pulse formats: a pulse with a sharply rising edge, a square pulse, and an amplitude-modulated square pulse. The OPO output is tuned over 1.45-1.67-μm (signal) and 2.9-4.0-μm (idler). We demonstrate a 7-μJ, 2-μs square pulse with 5-MHz sinusoidal amplitude modulation.
Applied Optics 10/1996; 35(30):5964-6. · 1.41 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We report two cw, singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO) configurations based on periodically poled lithium niobate that result in significantly higher efficiency and output power than in previous studies. Using four-mirror OPO cavities and pumping with a 1.064-microm Nd:YAG laser, we observe 93% pump depletion and obtain ~86% of the converted pump photons as useful idler output. The single-beam, in-the-bucket idler output power of 3.55 W at 3.25 microm corresponds to ~80% of quantum-limited performance. We measure and compare the amplitude noise and spectral bandwidth of the two configurations. We also demonstrate >1 W of tunable cw output over the 3.3-3.9-microm spectral range.
Optics Letters 09/1996; 21(17):1336-8. · 3.40 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Summary form only given. Our work is the first report of a broadly tunable cw singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (SRO). We use the 1.064-/spl mu/m radiation from a Nd:YAG laser to pump periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) obtaining tunable radiation in the important 1.5-/spl mu/m and 3.3-/spl mu/m regions. The high gain and low loss of PPLN are the key to the operation of this device. The PPLN OPO operated robustly 2-3 times above threshold with a maximum pump depletion of 50%.
Lasers and Electro-Optics, 1996. CLEO '96., Summaries of papers presented at the Conference on; 07/1996
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ABSTRACT: Summary form only given. Periodically poled LiNbO/sub 3/ (PPLN) is useful for practical implementation of quasi-phase-matched nonlinear optics. Up to now the fabrication technique of electric-field-poling with lithographically-defined electrodes has been limited to substrates /spl les/0.5-mm thick, imposing limitations in high-power applications where large apertures are desired. In this paper the authors present a method to increase the substrate thickness, thus allowing the development of larger apertures.
Lasers and Electro-Optics, 1996. CLEO '96., Summaries of papers presented at the Conference on; 07/1996
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ABSTRACT: We report a continuous-wave singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on periodically poled lithium niobate. The simple, two-mirror OPO, pumped by a 1.064-microm Nd:YAG laser, had a 2.6-4.5-W threshold and an output of >1.2 W at 3.3 microm and was tuned over 1.45-1.62 microm (signal) and 3.98-3.11 microm (idler). The noise characteristics and the spectral properties of the device are described.
Optics Letters 05/1996; 21(10):713-5. · 3.40 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We report a widely tunable quasi-phase-matched optical parametric oscillator that uses periodically poled LiNbO(3)with a multigrating structure. The device is tuned by translation of the crystal through the resonator and pump beam, with no realignment needed. With a 1.064-microm acousto-optically Q-switched Nd:YAG pumplaser, we produced noncritically phase-matched tunable IR output from 1.36 to 4.83 microm. The threshold was 6 microJ for a 26-mm interaction length. The extraordinary polarization of LiNbO(3) has better IR transmission than does the ordinary polarization, permitting operation at longer wavelengths with d(33) quasi-phase matching than with conventional Type I birefringent phase matching.
Optics Letters 04/1996; 21(8):591-3. · 3.40 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We report a quasi-phase-matched optical parametric oscillator, using bulk periodically poled LiNbO(3). The optical parametric oscillator, pumped by a 1.064-microm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, was temperature tuned over the wavelength range 1.66-2.95 microm. The oscillation threshold of approximately 0.1 mJ was more than a factor of 10 below the damage limit. The LiNbO(3) crystal, fabricated by application of an electric field to a sample with liquid and metal surface electrodes, was 0.5 mm thick with a 5.2-mm interaction length and a quasi-phase-matched period of 31 microm.
Optics Letters 01/1995; 20(1):52-4. · 3.40 Impact Factor
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Optics Letters 08/1993; 18(16):1323. · 3.40 Impact Factor
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J. Opt. Soc. Am. B. 12:2102.
