Frequency conversion of a wavelength division multiplexed light source

A laser device comprising:

• a pump laser source comprised of a wavelength division multiplexed optical communication source, wherein the wavelength division multiplexed optical communication source comprises multiple independently modulated continuous wave sources, each of the wave sources comprising an information carrier;
• a singly resonant, single frequency optical parametric oscillator comprising a non-linear medium located in an optical cavity, with the pump laser radiation passing through the non-linear medium, wherein the optical cavity is configured to be resonant at only a single cavity mode, wherein the pump laser radiation is continuous wave or quasi-continuous wave such that parametric oscillation is maintained;
• and
• an arrangement of one or more optical components configured to couple out a non-resonant idler or signal laser radiation from the optical parametric oscillator as usable frequency converted laser radiation.

A laser device, comprising:

• a pump laser source comprised of a wavelength division multiplexed optical communication source, wherein the wavelength division multiplexed optical communication source comprises a laser source including a plurality of approximately equidistant narrow spectral lines, each of which comprises an information carrier;
• wherein each information carrier is independently modulated in amplitude and/or phase in order to independently encode information on that carrier;
• a singly resonant, single frequency optical parametric oscillator comprising a non-linear medium located in an optical cavity, with the pump laser radiation passing through the non-linear medium, wherein the optical cavity is configured to be resonant at only a single cavity mode, wherein the pump laser radiation is continuous wave or quasi-continuous wave such that parametric oscillation is maintained;
• an arrangement of one or more optical components configured to couple out a non-resonant idler or signal laser radiation from the optical parametric oscillator as usable frequency converted laser radiation;
• and
• wherein a single channel of the wavelength division multiplexed optical communication source is maintained in an “on” state without amplitude modulation, in order to prevent a situation where amplitude modulation leaves all channels with zero power;
• and
• wherein loss of power to the optical parametric oscillator for sufficient time will halt frequency conversion.