Dual-wavelength single-crystal double-pass KTP optical parametric oscillator and its application in terahertz wave generation

A tunable dual-wavelength double-pass singly resonant optical parametric oscillator based on a single KTP crystal has been proposed and demonstrated. By setting the rear mirror tuning angle precisely, collinear and noncollinear dual phase matching can be established simultaneously and leads to a two-wavelength oscillation at steady state. With high-speed KTP angle tuning, two wavelengths and their frequency difference can be adjusted continuously and accurately. By using this newly developed dual-wavelength optical parametric oscillator to pump a DAST crystal, a monochromatic terahertz wave ranging from 0.5 to 3 THz has been successfully generated in a difference-frequency generation system. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America