Phase-coherent optical frequency division by 3 of 532-nm laser light with a continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator

Abstract

Phase-locked 3:1 division of an optical frequency was achieved with a continuous-wave monolithic optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a 532-nm Nd:YAG laser, by use of 5% MgO-doped LiNbO(3) as a nonlinear optical crystal. The OPO generated signal light (798 nm) with 4-mW power and idler light (1596 nm) with 3-mW power for a pump power of 68 mW. Approximately 2microW of second harmonics (SH's) of the idler light was produced by external-cavity-enhanced SH generation by use of a periodically poled LiNbO(3) crystal. The beat signal between the signal light and the SH of the idler light was observed with a signal-to-noise ratio of 40 dB at a 10-kHz bandwidth and was successfully phase locked to a signal from a synthesizer through the electro-optic effect of the crystal.