Three synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillators (SPOPO's) based on different nonlinear optical materials are used to show the viability of Yb:KGW lasers for generation of pump radiation. Periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) is a convenient nonlinear optical material to begin the investigation, and typical of PPLN interesting additional phenomena are observed. Optical parametric amplification proves to be a useful technique for establishing SPOPO operation in lithium triborate (LBO) and beta barium borate (BBO) with a lower gain than PPLN. Numerical modelling helps in the analysis of SPOPO performance and indicates possible directions for future development such as non-collinear propagation to mitigate group velocity differences. The compact construction and efficient operation of femtosecond Yb:KGW lasers provide a favourable source of pump radiation for SPOPO's in these preliminary investigations.

Keywords: nonlinear optics, optical parametric oscillator, synchronous pumping, femtosecond pulses, bichromatic emission, Yb:KGW laser
PACS: 42.65.Yj, 42.65.-k, 42.70.Mp

FEMTOSEKUNDINIAI OPTINIAI PARAMETRINIAI GENERATORIAI
SINCHRONIŠKAI KAUPINAMI Yb:KGV LAZERIU
K. Stankevičiūtė^a, I. Pipinytė^a, I. Stasevičius ^a,b, J. Vengelis^a, G. Valiulis^a, R. Grigonis ^b, M. Vengris^a, M. Bardauskas^b, L. Giniūnas ^b,
O. Balachninaite^a, R. C. Eckardt^c, V. Sirutkaitis ^a
aVilniaus universiteto Lazerinių tyrimų centras, Vilnius, Lietuva
^bUAB „Šviesos konversija“, Vilnius, Lietuva
^c„Gooch and Housego“, Ohio, JAV

Pristatomi trijų optinių parametrinių generatorių – dviejų sinchroniškai kaupinamų antra Yb:KGV osciliatoriaus harmonika (515 nm) su BBO (beta bario borato) ir LBO (ličio triborato) kristalais ir vieno pirma harmonika (1030 nm) su LBO (periodiškai orientuoto ličio niobato) kristalu – pradiniai eksperimentiniai rezultatai. Kaupinimui buvo naudojami Pharos lazerio osciliatoriaus 100 fs trukmės impulsai su 4 W vidutine galia esant 1030 nm bangos ilgiui bei 2,4 W galia esant 515 nm bangos ilgiui. Buvo nustatytas stiprinimas, pasiekiamas vieno praėjimo per netiesinį kristalą metu. Esant maksimaliems intensyvumams BBO kristale stiprinimas buvo didesnis (siekė 80 %), palyginti su BBO kristalu (siekė 75 %). Didžiausias energijos keitimo efektyvumas (>25 %) pasiektas sinchroniškai kaupinamame optiniame parametriniame generatoriuje su BBO kristalu. Gautas mažas energijos keitimo efektyvumas sinchroniškai kaupinamame optiniame parametriniame generatoriuje su BBO kristalu susijęs su nepakankama optinių dangų, užgarintų ant kristalo paviršiaus, kokybe. Skaitmeniniu modeliavimu nustatyta, kad generacijai reikalinga naudoti didesnį nei 10 GW/cm² ir 2 GW/cm² kaupinimo intensyvumą (atitinkamai BBO ir LBO kristalų atveju).

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