Tunable single-mode operation of a pulsed optical parametric oscillator pumped by a multimode laser

Abstract

High-quality single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) tunable signal radiation is generated by a pulsed optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a compact, inexpensive multimode laser. The OPO is based on periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) in a ring cavity that is injection seeded at its resonated signal wavelength by a single-mode tunable diode laser. Accurate control of the OPO cavity length and crystal temperature ensures a continuously tunable SLM signal output frequency range of >7.5 THz (>250 cm(-1)); the corresponding idler output remains multimode. High-resolution molecular spectra are recorded to verify OPO performance at wavelengths of ~1.55 mum. The observed signal optical bandwidth of </=120 MHz (</=0.0040 cm(-1)) compares favorably with that of a more elaborate PPLN OPO system pumped by a pulsed single-mode laser.