Tunable light source employing optical parametric oscillation near degeneracy

A swept wavelength system with a tunable light source comprising:

• a) a nonlinear optical converter placed in a cavity for performing a nonlinear frequency conversion, said nonlinear optical converter having a quasi-phase-matching grating for phase matching said nonlinear frequency conversion;
• b) a pump arrangement for providing a pump beam at a pump frequency to said nonlinear optical converter for performing said nonlinear frequency conversion;
• c) an adjustment means for adjusting said pump frequency to select a gain spectrum of said nonlinear frequency conversion;
• and
• d) a spectral control means for setting a resonant frequency of said cavity within said gain spectrum.

A method for tuning a light source comprising an optical parametric amplifier, said method comprising:

• a) placing said optical parametric amplifier in a cavity;
• b) producing a pump beam having a pump frequency;
• c) delivering said pump beam to said optical parametric amplifier for driving an optical parametric oscillation near degeneracy, said optical parametric oscillation involving a signal beam and an idler beam;
• d) adjusting said pump frequency to select a gain spectrum of said optical parametric oscillation;
• and
• e) setting a resonant frequency of said cavity within said gain spectrum.

A swept wavelength system with a tunable light source comprising:

• a) a nonlinear optical converter for performing a nonlinear frequency conversion, said nonlinear optical converter having a quasi-phase-matching grating for phase matching said nonlinear frequency conversion;
• b) a pump arrangement for providing a pump beam at a pump frequency to said nonlinear optical converter for performing said nonlinear frequency conversion;
• c) an adjustment means for adjusting said pump frequency to select a gain spectrum of said nonlinear frequency conversion;
• and
• d) a spectral control means for setting an output frequency within said gain spectrum.