Single-crystal sum-frequency generating optical parametric oscillator

Abstract

A sum-frequency generating optical parametric oscillator (OPO), where a single crystal is employed for both parametric oscillation and sum frequency generation, is presented. The OPO is based on a KTiOPO4 crystal that is pumped by a Ti:sapphire laser operating at a wavelength of 828 nm. The two-step conversion is efficient, since both nonlinear conversion processes are phase matched in the same crystal.