Enhanced bandwidth noncollinear optical parametric amplification with a narrowband anamorphic pump

Opt Lett. 2011 Jun 1;36(11):2170-2. doi: 10.1364/OL.36.002170.

Abstract

Through the use of anamorphic focusing, we present a method for generating broadband noncollinear optical parametric amplification in signal regions lacking a broadband phase-matching condition that is ideally suited for narrowband pump sources, herein based on an erbium-doped fiber oscillator. With a short focal length cylindrical lens to enhance the phase-matching condition and a long focal length cylindrical lens in the orthogonal plane to limit the pump power in the amplifying beta barium borate crystal, we amplify pulses in the blue-green spectral region with over 100 THz (∼3500 cm(-1)) bandwidth. The amplified signal is subsequently compressed to 9.5 fs, near the transform limit.