Tunable ultrashort-pulse generation and amplification using optical parametric techniques

We demonstrate femtosecond pulses from 400 - 1600 nm, both at 76 MHz at high average power and at 1 kHz repetition rate at high pulse energy, using optical parametric techniques. The signal wavelength of the KTiOPO4 (KTP)-based optical parametric oscillator is tunable in the 1.20 - 1.34 micrometers and 1.45 - 1.70 micrometers regions with two mirror sets. This oscillator is synchronously pumped and has a repetition rate of 76 MHz and a signal output power as high as 200 mW. In addition we have used amplified Ti:sapphire femtosecond pulses at 1 kHz repetition rate to generate a white light continuum which extends at least from 400 nm to 1.6 micrometers . Frequency mixing techniques are used to up-convert the continuum to the ultraviolet (UV) region or to amplify the continuum in the infrared (IR) region with LiB3O5(LBO) crystals.