Patent ID: 6016214
Filing Date: 2000-01-18
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
An intracavity dual optical parametric oscillator/difference-frequency mixing structure for colinear generation of four separate wavelengths and efficient pump to idler wave conversion comprising:(a) an optical pump source for providing a pump beam at a primary wavelength;(b) a singly resonant cavity having an input end and an output end;(c) a monolithic nonlinear optical medium disposed in said cavity for sustaining optical parametric oscillation and difference-frequency mixing, said monolithic nonlinear optical medium comprising:(i) a first region having a first grating period adapted to operate as an optical parametric oscillator;(ii) a second region having a second grating period adapted to operate as a different frequency mixer wherein said first and second regions are adapted to produce a first signal frequency, a first idler frequency and a first-difference frequency;(iii) a third region having a third grating period adapted to operate as an optical parametric oscillator; and(iv) a fourth region having a fourth grating period adapted to operate as a difference-frequency mixer wherein said third and fourth regions are adapted to produce a second signal frequency, a second idler frequency and a second difference-frequency.(d) an input mirror positioned at the input end of said cavity, adapted to couple the pump beam into the resonator cavity through the monolithic nonlinear optical medium and further adapted to be reflective of the first and second signal frequencies to resonate the signal frequencies within the cavity; and(e) an output mirror positioned at the output end of said cavity, adapted to couple the first and second difference-frequencies and first and second idler frequencies external to the cavity, and further adapted to be reflective of the first and second signal frequency to resonate the signal frequencies within the cavity.