A nanosecond optical parametric generator/amplifier seeded by an external cavity diode laser

We report on the development of an injection-seeded nanosecond optical parametric generator/amplifier (ns-OPG/OPA) that combines relatively low thresholds with good conversion efficiencies. Because there is no cavity whose optical properties must be actively controlled to match the injected radiation field, external seeding over wide ranges by CW single longitudinal mode (SLM) lasers is straightforward. The seeded ns-OPG/OPA spectral resolution (650±150 MHz) is close to the pump-limited bandwidth, and the output beam has a small angular divergence (∼0.5 mrad at 628 nm). Other properties of the seeded ns-OPG/OPA, such as the efficiency (>30%), the threshold for external seeding (∼1–3 mW), and the locking range (>20–30 cm^(−1)), are also characterized. The continuous scanning and narrow spectral bandwidth of the OPG/OPA is verified in photo-acoustic absorption experiments on the third O–H stretching overtone of water near 815 nm.

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