Compact efficient passively Q-switched Nd : GdVO4/PPLN/Cr4+: YAG tunable intracavity optical parametric oscillator

Abstract

We report on a compact efficient diode pumped passively Q-switched Nd:GdVO4/ Cr4+:YAG/ PPLN intracavity optical parametric oscillator (OPO) with a shared-resonator configuration. Experimental results reveal that the amplitude stability of the shared-resonator configuration is substantially superior to that of the conventional coupled-resonator configuration. At a diode pump power of 15 W, the compact intracavity OPO cavity produces the average power greater than 900 mW with a pulse repetition rate of 36 kHz. The output pulses noticeably display the mode-locking phenomenon that leads to the maximum peak power to be higher than 20 kW. (c) 2005 Optical Society of America.