1-GHz-repetition-rate femtosecond optical parametric oscillator

We report a 1-GHz-repetition-rate, low-pump-threshold, all-solid-state femtosecond optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on periodically poled LiNbO3 and pumped by a GHz repetition rate Ti:sapphire laser. The OPO provides nearly transform-limited 65-fs-signal pulses tunable from 1160 to 1320 nm. The pump threshold is about 580 mW, and 43 mW signal power is obtained with 950-mW-pump power. Higher-order quasi-phase-matched sum frequency generation and second harmonic generation processes produce 10 mW blue light at 486 nm and 15 mW red light at 620 nm. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.