Green-pumped, picosecond MgO:PPLN optical parametric oscillator

F. Kienle, D. Lin, S. Alam, H. S. S. Hung, C. B. E. Gawith, H. E. Major, D. J. Richardson, and D. P. Shepherd

Abstract

We investigate the performance of a magnesium-oxide-doped periodically poled lithium niobate crystal (MgO:PPLN) in an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) synchronously pumped by 530nm, 20ps, 230MHz pulses with an average power of up to 2W from a frequency-doubled, gain-switched LD seed and a multistage Yb:fiber amplifier system. The OPO produces 165mW (signal, 845nm) and 107mW (idler, 1421nm) of average power for 1W of pump power and can be tuned from 800 to 900nm (signal) and 1.28 to 1.54m (idler). Observations of photorefraction and green-induced infrared absorption in different operational regimes of the MgO:PPLN OPO are described and the role of peak intensity and average power are investigated, both with the aim to find the optimal operating regime for pulsed systems.