MICROCHIP OPTICAL PARAMETRIC OSCILLATORS

The frequency-doubled output of a high-power passively Q-switched Nd:Y AG microchip laser has been used to pump a KTP doubly resonant miniatu re monolithic Fabry-Perot (microchip) optical parametric oscillator (O PO). The OPO operated with 20% conversion efficiency, generating 8.4 m u J of 1.064-mu m radiation in 600-ps pulses, with excellent mode qual ity and pulse-to-pulse stability. This is the most compact OPO system yet demonstrated, generating the shortest pulses reported for an OPO p umped with Q-switched pulses. This technology makes it possible to obt ain miniature optical system operating at any wavelength throughout th e near IR, visible, and UV.