Synchronously-Pumped Optical parametric Oscillator Tunable in the Visible and Ultraviolet

M. Ebrahim-Zadeh
Institut de Ciències Fotòniques

A novel synchronously-pumped optical parametric oscillator (OPO) driven by the second harmonic output of a mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser generates femtosecond and picosecond pulses with wide tunability in the visible and ultraviolet spectrum. The OPO uses bismuth triborate, BiB3O6 (or BIBO), as the nonlinear gain crystal. Using collinear critical phase-matching and simple crystal rotation at room temperature, a continuous tuning range from 480 to 710 nm is achieved with a single BIBO crystal and a single set of mirrors for the OPO cavity. The OPO generates up to 300 mW of average power across the available tuning range and can deliver femtrosecond or picosecond pulses, depending on the configuration of the mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser. Frequency doubling of the visible signal pulses from the OPO is also achieved in beta-BaB2O4 crystal, external and internal to the OPO resonator, providing femtosecond and picosecond pulses with wide tunability in the 240 to 355 nm in the ultraviolet at average powers of up to 50 mW. The major applications market for this source are currently in biophotnics, particularly molecular detection, microscopy, and time-domain spectroscopy.

Filing date: 4 May, 2006

Licenced date: 29 Mar, 2006

0609599-6 (UK)