Optical parametric oscillator system
AssigneeHeriot-Watt University
InventorsJohn C. Travers, Federico Belli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical parametric oscillator (OPO) system comprises an optical waveguide including a hollow core containing a fluid, wherein the optical waveguide is configured to receive pump light and to convert the pump light into signal light and idler light via a third order non-linear optical effect. The OPO system further comprises an optical feedback arrangement for recycling at least a portion of the signal light and/or for recycling at least a portion of the idler light in an optical cavity that includes the optical waveguide. The OPO system may be used, in particular though not exclusively, in metrology, gas and solid-state spectroscopy, laser-assisted manufacturing, semiconductor technology, biomedicine, healthcare, and scientific laboratory use.
Claims20
An optical parametric oscillator (OPO) system, comprising:
- an optical waveguide including a hollow core containing a fluid, wherein the optical waveguide is configured to receive pump light and to convert the pump light into signal light and idler light via a third order non-linear optical effect;
- an optical feedback arrangement at least one of for recycling at least a portion of the signal light or for recycling at least a portion of the idler light in an optical cavity that includes the optical waveguide;
- and
- a variable spectral filtering arrangement in the optical cavity for at least one of spectrally filtering the recycled signal light in the optical cavity or spectrally filtering the recycled idler light in the optical cavity,
- wherein the variable spectral filtering arrangement is configured to transmit light having a wavelength in a variable spectral passband having at least one of a tuneable centre wavelength or a variable spectral bandwidth.
An optical parametric oscillation (OPO) method, comprising:
- converting pump light into signal light and idler light in a fluid-filled hollow-core optical waveguide via a third order non-linear optical effect;
- at least one of recycling at least a portion of the signal light or recycling at least a portion of the idler light in an optical cavity that includes the optical waveguide;
- and
- at least one of:
- spectrally filtering the recycled signal light in the optical cavity so as to select at least one of the centre wavelength, or the spectral bandwidth, of the recycled signal light in the optical cavity;
- or
- spectrally filtering the recycled idler light in the optical cavity so as to select at least one of the centre wavelength, or the spectral bandwidth, of the recycled idler light in the optical cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.