US5847861A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Synchronously pumped sub-picosecond optical parametric oscillator
Assignee: Newport Corp USA
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Filing: 1994-05-06
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Granted: 1998-12-08
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Expires: 2014-05-06
Abstract
Abstract A synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillator (OPO) using a temperature tuned 90 degree phase matched LBO crystal is disclosed which provides a broad selection of output wavelengths. In one embodiment a Ti:sapphire pump source having a cavity length matched to the OPO cavity length pumps a cavity with an LBO crystal located at the cavity waist of the cavity mode. Resources are included to, tune the OPO to a desired wavelength, repetitively scan through a series of desired wavelengths, and adjust the cavity length to obtain a synchronous pumping condition and diagnose a wavelength at which the OPO is operating. A frequency doubled beam in the LBO crystal is generated as a substantially collinear alignment beam.
Inventors
- 👤 James D. Kafka
- 👤 Michael L. Watts
- 👤 Jan-Willem J. Pieterse
- 👤 Kevin K. Holsinger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:59
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/35; G02F1/39; H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/094026
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a cavity with an optical path therethrough; an LBO crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof; a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses in the range of 700 to 900 nm, oriented to supply pump pulses to said LBO crystal; said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition; and a temperature controlling device to control the temperature of said LBO crystal to within at least about 2 degrees C.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
89 words
A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a cavity with an optical path therethrough; an LBO crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof; a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses in the range of 700 to 900 nm, oriented to supply pump pulses to said LBO crystal; said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition; and a temperature controlling device to control the temperature of said LBO crystal to within at least about 2 degrees C.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 1, further including resources to tune the optical parametric oscillator to a desired wavelength.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 2, wherein the resources maintain the desired wavelength after it has been tuned.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 1, wherein the crystal has a length of between about 2 mm and 15 mm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 1, wherein the crystal has a length of between about 4 mm and 6 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 1, wherein opposing faces of the crystal in the optical path are cut at Brewster's angle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 1, wherein the LBO crystal is cut for noncritical phase matching.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 1, wherein the cavity includes an end mirror, and the end mirror is positioned on a translation stage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 1, wherein the pump source is a Ti:sapphire laser.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
102 words
A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a cavity with an optical path therethrough; an LBO crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof; a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses in the range of 700 to 900 nm, oriented to supply pump pulses to said LBO crystal; said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition; a temperature controlling device to control the temperature of said LBO crystal to within at least about 2 degrees C.; and resources to repetitively scan an oscillator output through a series of desired wavelengths.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
102 words
A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a cavity with an optical path therethrough; an LBO crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof; a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses in the range of 700 to 900 nm, oriented to supply pump pulses to said LBO crystal; said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition; a temperature controlling device to control the temperature of said LBO crystal to within at least about 2 degrees C.; and resources to repetitively scan an oscillator output through a series of desired wavelengths.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 10, wherein the resources scan to and remain at a series of specified wavelengths for a predetermined length of time.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 10, wherein the crystal has a length of between about 2 mm and 15 mm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 10, wherein the crystal has a length of between about 4 mm and 6 mm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 10, wherein opposing faces of the crystal in the optical path are cut at Brewster's angle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 10, wherein the LBO crystal is cut for noncritical phase matching.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 10, wherein the pump source is Ti:sapphire.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 10, wherein the resources include a rotatably mounted diffraction grating.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
103 words
A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a cavity with an optical path therethrough; an LBO crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof; a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses in the range of 700 to 900 nm, oriented to supply pump pulses to said LBO crystal; a temperature controlling device to control the temperature of said LBO crystal to within at least about 2 degrees C.; and resources to provide an initial adjustment of the cavity length of the optical parametric oscillator to obtain a synchronous pumping condition of the optical parametric oscillator.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
103 words
A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a cavity with an optical path therethrough; an LBO crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof; a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses in the range of 700 to 900 nm, oriented to supply pump pulses to said LBO crystal; a temperature controlling device to control the temperature of said LBO crystal to within at least about 2 degrees C.; and resources to provide an initial adjustment of the cavity length of the optical parametric oscillator to obtain a synchronous pumping condition of the optical parametric oscillator.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 18, wherein the crystal has a length of between about 2 mm and 15 mm.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 18, wherein the crystal has a length of between about 4 mm and 6 mm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 18, wherein opposing faces of the crystal in the optical path are cut at Brewster's angle.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 18, wherein the LBO crystal is cut for noncritical phase matching.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 18, wherein the pump source is a Ti:sapphire laser.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 18, wherein the resources include a rotatably mounted diffraction grating.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
102 words
A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a cavity with an optical path therethrough; an LBO crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof; a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses in the range of 700 to 900 nm, oriented to supply pump pulses to said LBO crystal; said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition; a temperature controlling device to control the temperature of said LBO crystal to within at least about 2 degrees C.; and resources to diagnose a wavelength at which the optical parametric oscillator is operating.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
102 words
A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a cavity with an optical path therethrough; an LBO crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof; a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses in the range of 700 to 900 nm, oriented to supply pump pulses to said LBO crystal; said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition; a temperature controlling device to control the temperature of said LBO crystal to within at least about 2 degrees C.; and resources to diagnose a wavelength at which the optical parametric oscillator is operating.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 25, wherein the crystal has a length of between about 2 mm and 15 mm.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 25, herein the crystal has a length of between about 4 mm and 6 mm.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 25, wherein opposing faces of the crystal in the optical path are cut at Brewster's angle.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
19 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 25, wherein the LBO crystal is cut for noncritical phase matching.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 25, wherein the resources include a rotatably mounted diffraction grating.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
79 words
A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a cavity with an optical path therethrough; a colinearly pumped, non-linear crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof; a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses oriented to supply pump pulses to said crystal; said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition; and a device to generate a frequency doubled beam in the crystal as a substantially collinear alignment beam.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
79 words
A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a cavity with an optical path therethrough; a colinearly pumped, non-linear crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof; a high power pump source generating subpicosecond pulses oriented to supply pump pulses to said crystal; said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition; and a device to generate a frequency doubled beam in the crystal as a substantially collinear alignment beam.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 31, wherein the device to generate a frequency doubled beam is a half wave plate.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 31, wherein the device to generate a frequency doubled beam includes two mirrors.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 31, wherein the device to generate a frequency doubled beam is a quarter wave plate.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
18 words
The synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator of claim 31, wherein the crystal is cut for noncritical phase matching.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
105 words
A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a cavity with an optical path therethrough; a crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof; a pump source to supply pump pulses to the crystal; said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition; and a first and a second prism, each having an apex angle α, and each disposed in said optical path, the first prism moving in a direction that is parallel to a bisector of apex angle α, and the second prism moves in a direction perpendicular to the bisector of apex angle α.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
105 words
A synchronously pumped, optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a cavity with an optical path therethrough; a crystal disposed in said optical path in said cavity at a beam waist position thereof; a pump source to supply pump pulses to the crystal; said cavity having a length selected to produce a synchronous pumping condition; and a first and a second prism, each having an apex angle α, and each disposed in said optical path, the first prism moving in a direction that is parallel to a bisector of apex angle α, and the second prism moves in a direction perpendicular to the bisector of apex angle α.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-12-07 | 2002-06-08 | 2002-12-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-12-07 | 2006-06-08 | 2006-12-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-12-07 | 2010-06-08 | 2010-12-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |