Abstract

We describe a high-repetition-rate, singly-resonant, picosecond optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on LiB₃O₅. The OPO is synchronously-pumped by a continuous train of picosecond pulses from a self mode-locked Ti-sapphire laser at a repetition rate of 81 MHz Operation has been demonstrated for 16 and 30 mm long crystals. For the 16mm crystal, average output powers of 90 mW have been generated over a signal (idler) tuning range of 1.374–1.530 μm (1.676–1.878 μm). Transform limited signal pulses with durations between 520 and 780 fs have been produced for 1.8 ps input pump pulses with no need for dispersion compensation. By using a 30 mm long crystal average output powers of up to 350 mW were generated over an continuous wavelength range of 1.290–1.973 μm. For 1.4 ps pump pulses transform- limited signal pulses with durations of 1.1 ps were obtained.

© 1995 Optical Society of America