Abstract

Future data transmission systems will require pulse trains with multi-GHz repetition rates, good pulse quality, and ideally with widely tunable wavelengths particularly in the 1.5-1.6 μm region. Synchronously pumped OPOs appear to be very attractive pulse sources because they have the potential to cover the whole S, C, and L band of telecom systems. However, until recently the repetition rates achieved with OPOs were too low for telecom applications. Recently, a 2.5-GHz OPO for a 1530-1737-nm signal has been demonstrated, ¹ which was pumped with an amplified mode-locked semiconductor laser. Here we present a 10-GHz OPO, also based on periodically poled LiNbO₃ (PPLN), but with a monolithic cavity, synchronously pumped with a diode-pumped passively mode-locked Nd:YVO₄ laser. To our knowledge, the repetition rate of 10 GHz is the highest ever reported for a χ⁽²⁾; OPO. Semiconductor lasers have been demonstrated with up to 1.54 THz repetition rate, ² but with smaller output powers and often limited pulse quality and tuning range.

© 2002 Optical Society of America