Abstract

We have recently demonstrated efficient operation of KTP optical parametric oscillators (OPO) pumped by multimode Nd:YLF and Nd:YAG lasers. These experiments have demonstrated what is, to our knowledge, the highest pulse energy (450 mJ) and the highest average-power signal output (7.4 W) obtained to date from an OPO. With a 1.1-J, 10-Hz, Nd:YAG pump laser we obtained 450 mJ (4.5 W) of signal output at 1571 nm from a singly-resonant OPO. In a separate experiment with a 625-mJ, 30-Hz, Nd:YLF pump laser we obtained 7.4 W (245 mJ, 30 Hz) of signal output at 1550 nm. These results provide a clear demonstration that very high pump-to-signal energy conversion (up to 41%) can be obtained from an OPO even with highly multi-transverse-mode pump lasers.

© 1994 Optical Society of America