Abstract

Angle-tuned silver gallium selenide (AgGaSe₂) optical parametric oscillators (OPO) have been studied in the past^1-3; however, non-critically phase matched (NCPM) operation with pump wavelength tuning has not received much attention. Calculations based on published refractive index formulas⁴ predict 2 to 5 pm coverage with pump wavelength tuning in the 1.45 to 1.58 pm range. The fact that the pump wavelength only needs to be tuned over a very narrow range within a transparent region of the crystal is especially significant, since it can potentially circumvent the severe thermal tensing limitation observed with 2 pm pumping⁵.

© 1994 Optical Society of America