# US 2018/0024414 A1 · Dual Frequency Pumped Optical Parametric Oscillator

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- Number: US 2018/0024414 A1
- Document ID: US20180024414A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/646,434
- Filed: 2017-07-11
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-21
- Assignees: Qioptiq Photonics GmbH & Co. KG
- Applicants: Qioptiq Photonics GmbH & Co. KG
- Inventors: Frank Mueller; Arne Härter
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180024414A1

## CPC

- G02F 1/39: for parametric generation or amplification of light, infrared or ultraviolet waves
- G02F 1/3501: {Constructional details or arrangements of non-linear optical devices, e.g. shape of non-linear crystals}
- G02F 1/37: for second-harmonic generation {(G02F1/3532 takes precedence)}
- G02F 1/3503: {Structural association of optical elements, e.g. lenses, with the non-linear optical device}
- G02F 1/3507: {Arrangements comprising two or more nonlinear optical devices}
- G02F 2201/16: series; tandem
- G02F 2201/17: Multi-pass arrangements, i.e. arrangements to pass light a plurality of times through the same element, e.g. by using an enhancement cavity
- G02F 2203/15: involving resonance effects, e.g. resonantly enhanced interaction
- G02F 2203/58: Multi-wavelength, e.g. operation of the device at a plurality of wavelengths
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS

## Abstract

A system includes an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) device. The OPO device has an optical resonator, a first nonlinear optical element (NLO) and a second non-linear optical element (NLO). The first NLO can produce, via OPO of a first pump beam, a first output with a first frequency and a second output with a second frequency. The second frequency is lower than the first frequency. The second NLO can produce, via OPO of a second pump beam (with a higher frequency than the first), a third output with a third frequency and a fourth output with a fourth frequency. The fourth frequency is lower than the third frequency. The first frequency is the same, or at least substantially the same, as the fourth frequency. The OPO device is configured to resonate at the first frequency and the fourth frequency.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) device comprising:
an optical resonator;
a first nonlinear optical element configured to receive a first pump beam and to produce, via optical parametric oscillation of the first pump beam, a first output having a first frequency and a second output having a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is lower than the first frequency; and
a second nonlinear optical element configured to receive a second pump beam, wherein the second pump beam has a higher frequency than the first pump beam, and to produce, via optical parametric oscillation of the second pump beam, a third output having a third frequency and a fourth output having a fourth frequency, wherein the fourth frequency is lower than the third frequency,
wherein the first frequency is the same or substantially the same as the fourth frequency, and
wherein the OPO device is configured to resonate at the first frequency and the fourth frequency.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first nonlinear optical element and the second nonlinear optical element are inside the optical resonator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, further comprising:
a first laser to produce the first pump beam; and
a second laser to produce the second pump beam.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the first laser and the second laser are outside the optical resonator.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a first laser to produce the first pump beam; and
a third nonlinear optical element configured to produce the second pump beam from the first pump beam.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the third nonlinear optical element is configured to produce the second pump beam by second harmonic generation (SHG) of the first pump beam.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the third nonlinear optical element is inside the optical resonator.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the third nonlinear optical element is outside the optical resonator.

### Claim 9

A method for producing widely frequency tunable laser radiation from a system that comprises an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) device, wherein the OPO device comprises an optical resonator, a first nonlinear optical element inside the optical resonator, and a second nonlinear optical element inside the optical resonator, the method comprising:
receiving a first pump beam at the first nonlinear optical element;
producing, via optical parametric oscillation of the first pump beam at the first nonlinear optical element, a first output having a first frequency and a second output having a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is lower than the first frequency;
receiving a second pump beam at the second nonlinear optical element, wherein the second pump beam has a higher frequency than the first pump beam; and
producing, via optical parametric oscillation of the second pump beam at the second nonlinear optical element, a third output having a third frequency and a fourth output having a fourth frequency, wherein the fourth frequency is lower than the third frequency;
wherein the first frequency is the same, or at least substantially the same, as the fourth frequency, and
wherein the OPO device is configured to resonate at, or substantially near, the first frequency and the fourth frequency.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the system further comprises a first laser and a second laser, the method further comprising:
producing the first pump beam with the first laser; and
producing the second pump beam with the second laser.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the first laser and the second laser are outside the optical resonator.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the system further comprises a first laser and a third nonlinear optical element, the method further comprising:
producing the first pump beam with the first laser; and
producing the second pump beam with the third nonlinear optical element from the first pump beam.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein producing the second pump beam comprises second harmonic generation (SHG) of the first pump beam at the third nonlinear optical element.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the third nonlinear optical element is outside the optical resonator.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the third nonlinear optical element is inside the optical resonator.

### Claim 16

A method of manufacturing an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) device, the method comprising:
providing an optical resonator;
configuring a first nonlinear optical element inside the optical resonator to receive a first pump beam and to produce, via optical parametric oscillation of the first pump beam:
a first output having a first frequency, and
a second output having a second frequency,
wherein the second frequency is lower than the first frequency; and
configuring a second nonlinear optical element inside the optical resonator to receive a second pump beam that has a higher frequency than the first pump beam, and to produce, via optical parametric oscillation of the second pump beam:
a third output having a third frequency, and
a fourth output having a fourth frequency,
wherein the fourth frequency is lower than the third frequency,
wherein the first frequency is the same, or at least substantially the same, as the fourth frequency, and
wherein the OPO device resonates at, or substantially near, the first frequency and the fourth frequency.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising:
configuring a first laser to produce the first pump beam; and
configuring a second laser to produce the second pump beam,
wherein the first laser and the second laser are outside the optical resonator.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising:
configuring a first laser to produce the first pump beam; and
configuring a third nonlinear optical element to produce the second pump beam from the first pump beam.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the third nonlinear optical element is inside the optical resonator.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the third nonlinear optical element is outside the optical resonator.