Abstract

A tandem optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is used to convert radiation from $1.064\mu \mathrm{m}$ to the mid-infrared. Spectral bandwidth narrowing close to 80 times compared with a conventional cavity was achieved by using a bulk Bragg grating as an outcoupler in a near-degenerate periodically poled $\mathrm{K}\mathrm{Ti}\mathrm{O}\mathrm{P}{\mathrm{O}}_4$ OPO. The narrowed $2008\mathrm{nm}$ radiation was subsequently used for pumping the $\mathrm{Zn}\mathrm{Ge}{\mathrm{P}}_2$ OPO, which was tunable between 3.3 and $5.2\mu \mathrm{m}$. Pulse energies of $170\mu \mathrm{J}$ and pump depletion close to 70% were obtained in the $\mathrm{Zn}\mathrm{Ge}{\mathrm{P}}_2$ OPO. To our knowledge this is the first time the output from a near-degenerate type I PPKTP OPO has been used for $\mathrm{Zn}\mathrm{Ge}{\mathrm{P}}_2$ OPO pumping.

© 2006 Optical Society of America

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