Limitations of the tunability of dual-crystal optical parametric oscillators

Abstract

We demonstrate what is believed to be the first continuous-wave dual-crystal optical parametric oscillator (D-OPO) for generation of waves with a frequency difference of some terahertz. It is based on two magnesium-doped periodically poled lithium niobate crystals pumped with near-infrared light at $1030\mathrm{nm}$. By changing the temperature difference of the crystals we achieve a difference-frequency tuning. This ranges from an initially unexpected lower threshold of $1.3\mathrm{THz}$ up to higher frequencies. The linewidth of the considered signal waves is smaller than $5\mathrm{GHz}$. Smaller difference frequencies were not achievable. Our model, describing the dual-crystal parametric gain, explains the observed lower tuning limit by showing that the assumption of independent oscillation conditions in a D-OPO is not necessarily valid.

© 2007 Optical Society of America

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