Title :
High power optical parametric oscillators for optical refrigeration in solids
Author :
Sheik-Bahae, M. ; Hoyt, C.W. ; Ebrahimzadeh, M. ; Epstein, R.I. ; Edwards, B.C.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Phys. & Astron., New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM, USA
Abstract :
A high power singly resonant optical parametric oscillator based on periodically polled LiNbO/sub 3/ (PPLN) is developed to produce >6 W cw signal power tunable in the /spl lambda/=1.7-2.1 /spl mu/m range. This OPO was then used to observe net optical refrigeration in a thulium-doped solid for the first time. The OPO was synchronously pumped by a cw-modelocked (70 ps FWHM) Nd:YAG laser with P/sub ave/=18 W. The observed slope efficiency is more than 42%.
Keywords :
lithium compounds; optical materials; optical parametric oscillators; optical pumping; optical tuning; refrigeration; resonant states; 1.7 to 2.1 mum; 18 W; 42 percent; 70 ps; LiNbO/sub 3/; YAG:Nd; YAl5O12:Nd; cw signal; cw-modelocked ps Nd:YAG laser; high power optical parametric oscillators; high power singly resonant optical parametric oscillator; net optical refrigeration; observed slope efficiency; optical refrigeration; periodically polled; power tunable; solids; thulium-doped solid; Cooling; Laser excitation; Nonlinear optics; Optical pumping; Optical sensors; Oscillators; Pump lasers; Refrigeration; Solids; Stimulated emission;
Conference_Titel :
Nonlinear Optics: Materials, Fundamentals, and Applications, 2000. Technical Digest
Conference_Location :
Kaua´i-Lihue, HI, USA
Print_ISBN :
1-55752-646-X
DOI :
10.1109/NLO.2000.883616
