Abstract
The conversion efficiency of an optical parametric oscillator is reduced by energy consumption during build-up of signal and idler intensities and due to back-conversion effects. By tailoring the pump pulse temporal shape, we are able to improve the conversion efficiency by minimizing build-up time and back-conversion. Simulations predict a significant improvement in 1064 nm to 4000 nm idler conversion by using a double-rectangular temporal shape rather than using a simple Gaussian pulse. Experimental results qualitatively verify the effect resulting in a 20% improvement of a rectangular pulse over a Gaussian pulse.
Highlights
An optical parametric oscillator (OPO) converts a pump laser beam with frequency ωp into signal and idler frequencies, ωs and ωi, respectively, satisfying ωs + ωi = ωp
The conversion efficiency of an optical parametric oscillator is reduced by energy consumption during build-up of signal and idler intensities and due to back-conversion effects
Experimental results qualitatively verify the effect resulting in a 20% improvement of a rectangular pulse over a Gaussian pulse
Summary
The quantum limits for signal and idler conversion efficiencies are ωs/ωp and ωi/ωp, respectively, but in practice the efficiencies are much lower, approximately half of this limit The reasons for this reduced efficiency include optical absorption, thermal effects, crystal quality, spatial beam profile, and other experimental difficulties [1]. In addition to these inevitable effects, long pulse OPOs,. (1) Buildup: The signal and idler waves are initially generated from quantum noise, which is amplified to detectable levels During this build up time, the pump power is not significantly depleted by conversion. We measured the improvement of a rectangular pulse over a Gaussian pulse to verify the improvement shown in the theory
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