Synchronously pumped sub-picosecond optical parametric oscillator

A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising:

• a cavity with an optical path therethrough;
• an LBO crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof;
• a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses in the range of 700 to 900 nm, oriented to supply pump pulses to said LBO crystal;
• said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition;
• a temperature controlling device to control the temperature of said LBO crystal to within at least about 2 degrees C.;
• and
• resources to repetitively scan an oscillator output through a series of desired wavelengths.

A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising:

• a cavity with an optical path therethrough;
• an LBO crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof;
• a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses in the range of 700 to 900 nm, oriented to supply pump pulses to said LBO crystal;
• a temperature controlling device to control the temperature of said LBO crystal to within at least about 2 degrees C.;
• and
• resources to provide an initial adjustment of the cavity length of the optical parametric oscillator to obtain a synchronous pumping condition of the optical parametric oscillator.

A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising:

• a cavity with an optical path therethrough;
• an LBO crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof;
• a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses in the range of 700 to 900 nm, oriented to supply pump pulses to said LBO crystal;
• said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition;
• a temperature controlling device to control the temperature of said LBO crystal to within at least about 2 degrees C.;
• and
• resources to diagnose a wavelength at which the optical parametric oscillator is operating.

A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising:

• a cavity with an optical path therethrough;
• a colinearly pumped, non-linear crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof;
• a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses oriented to supply pump pulses to said crystal;
• said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition;
• and
• a device to generate a frequency doubled beam in the crystal as a substantially collinear alignment beam.

A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising:

• a cavity with an optical path therethrough;
• a crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof;
• a pump source to supply pump pulses to the crystal;
• said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition;
• and
• a first and a second prism, each having an apex angle .alpha., and each disposed in said optical path, the first prism moving in a direction that is parallel to a bisector of apex angle .alpha., and the second prism moves in a direction perpendicular to the bisector of apex angle .alpha..