Abstract

Optical parametric oscillators (OPO) are of particular interest to produce tunable coherent radiations, especially in the near infrared where no efficient solid state lasers are available. Usually, the OPO and the pump laser are separate oscillators (extracavity configuration). Another alternative is to place the OPO cavity inside the laser cavity to obtain an intracavity optical parametric oscillator (IOPO). This idea, proposed in the beginning of the 70s, has led to only a few recent experimental studies [1]. The advantage to place the OPO inside the laser cavity is to benefit of the fluence inside this cavity larger than the fluence available outside.

© 1998 IEEE