Measurements of the operating characteristics of a 1064 nm pumped KTP RISTRA OPO.

Gimmestad, Gary (Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta, GA) ; Armstrong, Darrell Jewell ; Wood, Jack (Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta, GA) ; Roberts, David (Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta, GA)

Sandia National Laboratories

关键词: Parametric Oscillators;    Pumping;    Dielectric Materials;    Performance;    Oscillators-Design And Construction.;   

DOI  :  10.2172/986597
RP-ID  :  SAND2009-5333
RP-ID  :  AC04-94AL85000
RP-ID  :  986597

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

Measurements of the operating characteristics of a 1064 nm pumped potassium titanyl phosphte (KTP) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) were carried out at the Electro Optics Systems Laboratory of Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). The OPO was developed by Sandia National Laboratories and employs a nonplanar image-rotating geometry that is known by the acronym RISTRA, denoting Rotated Image Singly-Resonant Twisted RectAngle. The OPO was configured for pumping by the 1064 nm fundamental wavelength of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser to generate a signal wavelength at 1627 nm and idler wavelength at 3074.8 nm. GTRI will be incorporate the OPO into a multi-wavelength lidar platform called the Integrated Atmospheric Characterization System (IACS). Prior to completion of the system design for the IACS platform, personnel at GTRI carried out a series of risk reduction experiments to measure the operating characteristics of the OPO. Sandia's role in this effort included technical assistance with numerical modeling of OPO performance, selection of nonlinear optical crystals, specification of cavity-mirror dielectric coatings, selection of vendors for optical components, and advice concerning integration of the RISTRA OPO into the IACS platform. This report describes results of the risk reduction measurements and it also provides some background information on the operating characteristics of RISTRA OPO's but is not intended to be a tutorial. A working knowledge of pulsed solid-state lasers, laser cavity modes, laser beam quality and beam propagation, and three-wave mixing in nonlinear crystals, is useful.