Optimally efficient, high power, Yb:fiber laser pumped, near- to mid-infrared picosecond optical parametric oscillator

Abstract: Absolute output power optimization and performance of a near- to mid-infrared picosecond optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is studied at two high pump powers using a widely-tunable output coupling (OC) technique which provides 15% to 68% OC. The MgO:PPLN-based OPO is synchronously pumped at 81.1 MHz by an Yb:fiber laser with double-peak spectrum. At 2 W pump power, maximum signal (at 1.46 $\mu$m) and idler (at 3.92 $\mu$m) power of 670 mW and 270 mW are obtained at 27% OC at 47% total extraction efficiency and 58% pump power depletion where at 15.5 W pump power, 7.4 W signal and 2.7 W idler power are extracted at 53% OC at 65% total extraction efficiency and 80% pump depletion. With respect to non-optimum points, OPO provides signal pulses with narrower single-peak spectrum, smaller time-bandwidth product, much better circular single-mode TEM00 spatial profile and passive peak-to-peak power stability of $\pm$4.6% at 2 W and $\pm$1% at 15.5 W pump power in optimum power extraction points.