Microstructure fiber optical parametric oscillator with femtosecond output in the 1200 to 1350 nm wavelength range

We describe an ultrafast fiber optical parametric oscillator operating in the 1210 nm to 1340 nm wavelength range. The system consists of a microstucture fiber placed in a Fabry-Perot cavity which is optically pumped with 1030-nm light from an Ytterbium mode-locked fiber laser. The output wavelength is tunable over a 130-nm span by adjusting the position of one cavity mirror. SHG FROG measurements reveal that the output pulse quality varies as a function of pump power and wavelength. Ultrafast sources operating in this range are particularly instrumental for deep-tissue nonlinear biophotonics applications. (C)2010 Optical Society of America