Tunable diffraction-limited light at 488 nm by single-pass frequency doubling of a broad area diode laser

Abstract

A laser system that is based on second-harmonic generation of a broad area laser diode and provides 23.2 mW of diffraction-limited light with narrow bandwidth is described. It is tunable from 487.4 to $489\mathrm{nm}$. The broad area laser diode is frequency stabilized in an external cavity that yields 800 mW of diffraction-limited light. This infrared light is converted into the visible by use of a 1 cm periodically poled ${\mathrm{MgO:LiNbO}}_3$ bulk crystal with a measured single-pass conversion efficiency of up to 3.6%∕W × cm.

© 2007 Optical Society of America