Compact efficient optical parametric generator internal to a Q-switched Nd: YVO₄ laser with periodically poled MgO:LiNbO₃

This paper demonstrates a compact efficient optical parametric generator internal to a Q-switched diode-end-pumped Nd:YVO₄ laser with periodically poled MgO:LiNbO₃(PPMgLN). With the Q-switch set at a repetition rate of 25kHz and the PPMgLN crystal operated at room temperature (25°C), the intracavity optical parametric generator threshold was reached as a diode pump power of 0.9 W. A maximum signal output power of 0.34 W with a pulse width of 25 ns and a beam quality factor of 1.4 was obtained at an incident diode power of 3.4 W, leading to a conversion efficiency of 10% with a slope efficiency of 14.4%. By varying the crystal temperature from 25 to 200°C, the output signal wavelengths were tuned in range of 1506-1565 nm. Over a 30-minutes interval, the instability of the signal power was measured to be less than 1%. In addition, the threshold pump intensity for the intracavity optical parametric generator is theoretically investigated, and the obtained result is in good agreement with the experimental results.