Generation of frequency-tunable single ultrashort light pulses in an LiIO₃crystal

Abstract

Efficient parametric conversion of single ultrashort light pulses in an LiIO3 crystal was achieved. The parametric signal energy reached 200 μJ when the crystal was pumped with the second harmonic of a mode-locked YAG:Nd3+ laser. The wavelength of this signal could be tuned continuously in the range 0.66–2.75 μ. A Pikokhron image converter was used to show that the duration of the parametric signal decreased considerably to 2–3 psec, which was much less than the duration of the pump pulses.