Parametric generation of tunable light from continuous-wave to femtosecondpulses

By exploiting nonlinear optical effects, a technology of unprecedented flex ibility for the production of tunable coherent light has been developed. Re ferred to as optical parametric generation, it provides sources with spectr al coverage extending all the way from the ultraviolet to the mid-infrared, and with temporal coverage extending over all time domains from the femtos econd pulse to the continuous wave. Such sources generate coherent light of outstanding optical quality and are now finding wide-ranging applications.