Compact, cost-effective and high power mid-infrared (MIR) optical parametric oscillator (OPO)

紧凑、经济高效的高功率中红外 (MIR) 光参量振荡器 (OPO)

• 批准号: 507890-2016
• 负责人: Légaré, François
• 金额: $ 3.64万
• 依托单位: Institut national de la recherche scientifique
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=657116
• 关键词: Compact; cost; effective; power; mid

We will demonstrate a low repetition rate continuously-tunable optical parametric oscillator (OPO) operating in the mid-infrared (MIR) spectral region. An OPO is a light source similar to a laser, also using a resonator, but based on optical gain from parametric amplification in a nonlinear crystal rather than from stimulated emission. A main attraction of OPOs is that the signal and idler wavelengths can be varied in wide ranges. Thus, it is possible to access wavelengths in the MIR, far-infrared or terahertz spectral region. This makes OPOs very valuable for potential applications in biomedical, security, defense, and environment monitoring. In terms of environmental monitoring, robust portable MIR sources with high wall-plug efficiencies and small dimensions are required, something that OPOs can offer. Despite their amazing capabilities, OPOs have so far not found widespread use as commercial products due their complexity. Society and research communities can reap the benefits of successful research studies on developing compact and robust OPOs.** In our collaborative project with O/E-Land Inc., our goal is to develop a compact and robust OPO system. More specifically, the wavelength of the OPO will be controlled by translating a fan-out PPMgLN crystal in a low finesse intracavity Fabry-Perot. The OPO will be pumped by a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) structure fiber laser with excellent characteristics. The pump pulses from the MOPA will have a rectangular shape, which is theoretically proved to improve the OPO's performance, compared with the Gaussian pump pulse. The seed of MOPA generates tunable optical pulses from 250 ps to 1ns duration using a 1064 nm band gain-switched laser diode pulse oscillator. A passive FBG will be introduced in the MOPA to reshape the input pulse to maximize the average output power and efficiency of the MOPA. Consequently, it is expected that the MOPA's average output power will be doubled thus enabling more average power in the MIR. This compact MIR source will have important applications in various sectors of human activities from manufacturing, biomedical, security, and defence.**********

我们将展示在中红外光谱区域工作的低重复率连续可调谐光学参量振荡器（OPO）。OPO是一种类似于激光的光源，同样使用谐振器，但基于非线性晶体中参数放大而不是受激发射的光学增益。opo的一个主要吸引力是信号和空闲波长可以在很宽的范围内变化。因此，可以访问MIR，远红外或太赫兹光谱区域的波长。这使得opo在生物医学、安全、国防和环境监测方面的潜在应用非常有价值。在环境监测方面，需要具有高插拔效率和小尺寸的坚固便携式MIR源，这是opo可以提供的。尽管opo具有惊人的功能，但由于其复杂性，到目前为止还没有作为商业产品广泛使用。社会和研究团体可以从开发紧凑和强大的opo的成功研究中获益。**在我们与O/E-Land公司的合作项目中，我们的目标是开发一个紧凑而强大的OPO系统。更具体地说，OPO的波长将通过在低精细腔内Fabry-Perot中平移扇形PPMgLN晶体来控制。OPO将由具有优异特性的主振功率放大器（MOPA）结构光纤激光器抽运。来自MOPA的泵浦脉冲将具有矩形形状，理论上证明与高斯泵浦脉冲相比，这可以提高OPO的性能。MOPA种子利用1064nm波段增益开关激光二极管脉冲振荡器产生持续时间为250ps至1ns的可调谐光脉冲。在MOPA中引入无源光纤光栅来重塑输入脉冲，以最大限度地提高MOPA的平均输出功率和效率。因此，预计MOPA的平均输出功率将增加一倍，从而在MIR中实现更多的平均功率。这种紧凑的MIR源将在制造业，生物医学，安全和国防等人类活动的各个部门中具有重要应用。**********