Abstract

We report on what is, to our knowledge, the highest efficiency (57 %) and average power (1.2 W) obtained with a GaAs OPO in the mid-infrared region (3-5 μm). These results have been demonstrated thanks to the development of a low- optical-losses Orientation-Patterned GaAs (OP-GaAs) fabrication process. In recent years, thick HVPE (Hydride Vapour Phase Epitaxy) layer growth on OP-GaAs templates has proved to be a reliable approach to fulfill Quasi-Phased Matching (QPM) requirements with sample sizes similar to PPLN crystals [1], and permitted the first OPO demonstration [2]. Another OPO was later shown with an OP-GaAs process based on Low-Pressure HVPE [3]. Nevertheless, up to now, output power has been limited to 0.5 W and slope efficiency to 20 % due to sample losses.

© 2007 IEEE