Low-threshold picosecond optical parametric oscillation in quasi-phase-matched lithium niobate

Abstract
We report a singly resonant optical parametric oscillator in periodically poled lithium niobate, synchronously pumped by the second harmonic of an amplified 10 μs pulse train from a continuous wave mode-locked Nd:YLF laser. Pulses of ∼2 ps duration have been generated over the tuning range from 883 to 1285 nm with a typical threshold of 200 mW average power within the 10 μs envelope. The M2 beam quality factor for the generated signal was ∼1.1, indicating absence of any significant photorefractive damage.