BROADLY TUNABLE, ALL-SOLID-STATE, VISIBLE AND INFRARED PICOSECOND OPTICAL PARAMETRIC OSCILLATOR

An all-solid-state optical parametric oscillator based on temperature-tuned LiB3O5 and synchronously pumped at 523.5 nm by a frequency-doubled, FM mode-locked, Q-switched, diode-laser-pumped Nd:YLF laser is described. The singly resonant oscillator is continuously tunable throughout 0.652-2.65 mum and can provide average output powers of as much as 3 mW in pulses of 12-ps duration, at a Q-switched repetition rate of 500 Hz. Four-color parametric oscillation has been obtained over the ranges of 664-890 nm and 2.47-1.27 mum, and linewidth reduction down to 0.5 nm is demonstrated over a signal wavelength range of 652-987 nm.