| 摘要 |
Improved mode-locked optical parametric oscillator apparatus comprises a mode-locked pump laser having a cavity with a predetermined effective length lp and a parametric oscillator having a nonlinear crystal, such as lithium niobate (LiNbO3), and singly resonant mirrors spaced apart by an effective distance lo which is substantially less than lp, i.e., lp APPROX nlo where n APPROX 5-50. The interaction of the mode-locked pump output with the nonlinear crystal produces parametric outputs at signal (fs) and idler (fi) frequencies, the parametric oscillator mirrors being singly resonant at one of those two frequencies. The parametric oscillator may be disposed either externally of or within the pump cavity and the pump laser optionally may be Q-switched. The parametric oscillator apparatus of this invention greatly increases the stability of the mode-locked output under normal operating conditions and enables relatively wide tuning of the apparatus without adjustment of the pump or oscillator cavity lengths.
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