Femtosecond optical parametric oscillators

The recent development of femtosecond optical parametric oscillators has extended the wavelength range over which ultrafast lasers are available (visible to 3.5 micrometers has been demonstrated). The options in cavity configurations, phase matching, and nonlinear optical crystals used with a Ti:sapphire pump laser are discussed. Results of an OPO using the nonlinear crystal KTiOAs4, which is potentially tunable to 5 micrometers , are presented.