Temperature-Tuning Optical Parametric Oscillator Based On Periodically Poled Mgo : Linbo3

We report experimental results on an efficient singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on periodically poled MgO-doped LiNbO3. The OPO was pumped by a diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:GdVO4 laser, which could produce 3-ns laser pulses with a repetition rate of 5 kHz. By changing the crystal temperature and grating periods, the OPO generated signal and idler output in the ranges of 1.41 to 1.78 mu m and 2.7 to 4.3 mu m, respectively. The maximum output power at the signal wavelength of 1.55 mu m was 35.4 mW with 120-mW pump power. The possibility of using the OPO for trace gas detection was demonstrated through measuring the absorption spectra of methane. (c) 2007 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.