1-GHz-repetition-rate femtosecond optical parametric oscillator

We report a 1 GHz-repetition-rate, low-pump-threshold, all-solid-state femtosecond optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on periodically poled LiNbO3 and pumped by a GHz repetition rate Ti:sapphire laser. The OPO provides nearly transform-limited 65-fs-signal pulses tunable from 1160 to 1320 nm. The pump threshold is about 580 mW, and 43 mW signal power is obtained with 950-mW-pump power. High-order quasi-phase-matched sum frequency generation and second harmonic generation processes produce 10 mW blue light at 486 nm and 15 mW red light at 620 nm