JP2687127B2 - Optical parametric oscillator - Google Patents

Optical parametric oscillator

Info

Publication number
JP2687127B2
JP2687127B2 JP62333712A JP33371287A JP2687127B2 JP 2687127 B2 JP2687127 B2 JP 2687127B2 JP 62333712 A JP62333712 A JP 62333712A JP 33371287 A JP33371287 A JP 33371287A JP 2687127 B2 JP2687127 B2 JP 2687127B2
Authority
JP
Japan
Prior art keywords
optical
mirror
excitation light
crystal
parametric oscillator
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
JP62333712A
Other languages
Japanese (ja)
Other versions
JPH01178938A (en
Inventor
英夫 鈴木
安次 大隅
伸廣 森田
修 松本
祐二 小林
寧 大林
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Hamamatsu Photonics KK
Original Assignee
Hamamatsu Photonics KK
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hamamatsu Photonics KK filed Critical Hamamatsu Photonics KK
Priority to JP62333712A priority Critical patent/JP2687127B2/en
Publication of JPH01178938A publication Critical patent/JPH01178938A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of JP2687127B2 publication Critical patent/JP2687127B2/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 [産業上の利用分野] 本発明は発振光の波長を高速で変えることができるよ
うにした光パラメトリック発振器に関するものである。 [従来の技術] 従来の光パラメトリック発振器は、第3図に示すよう
に、入射ミラー(1)と出射ミラー(2)の間に非線形
光学結晶(3)を設け、コリメーティングレンズ(4)
および入射ミラー(1)を介して非線形光学結晶(3)
に入射する励起光(5)(5a)の光軸(6)を固定して
おき、ステッピングモータなどで回転テーブル(7)を
回転することによって励起光(5)(5a)の光軸(6)
と非線形光学結晶(3)の光学軸(8)とがなす角度
(位相整合角)θを変え、出射ミラー(2)から出力す
る発振光(9)の波長を変えていた。 [発明が解決しようとする問題点] しかしながら、第3図に示すように従来のパラメトリ
ック発振器では、非線形光学結晶(3)を回転テーブル
(7)を用いて機械的に回転することによって発振光
(9)の出力波長を変えていたので、非線形光学結晶
(3)の回転に時間がかかり、波長を変化させるのに数
秒から数十秒の長時間を要するという問題点があった。
さらに非線形光学結晶(3)を回転させるための結晶回
転機構が必要であるため構造が複雑になるという問題点
があった。 本発明は上述の問題点に鑑みてなされたもので、発振
光の波長を高速で変えることができるとともに、構造を
簡単にできる光パラメトリック発振器を提供することを
目的とするものである。 [問題点を解決するための手段] 本発明は、入射ミラーと出射ミラーの間に非線形光学
結晶を設け、入射ミラーを介して非線形光学結晶に入射
する励起光の光軸と非線形光学結晶の光学軸とがなす角
度を変えることによって、出射ミラーを介して出力する
発振光の波長を変えるようにした光パラメトリック発振
器において、入射ミラーの励起光入射側に配置され、励
起光の光軸と非線形光学結晶の光学軸とがなす角度を変
えるために励起光を偏向する光偏向器と、この光偏向器
で偏向された励起光を反射、集束し、入射ミラーを介し
て非線形光学結晶に入射せしめるフォーカシングミラー
とを具備してなることを特徴とするものである。 [作用] 光偏向器で励起光の偏向角を変えると、励起光の光軸
と非線形光学結晶の結晶軸とがなす角度が変わり、発振
光の出力波長が変わる。 このとき、光偏向器は、音響光学効果や電気光学効果
などの光学材料の光弾性効果を利用しているので、励起
光の偏向速度を速くして発振光の出力波長を高速に変え
ることが容易になるとともに、結晶回転機構が不要にな
る。 また、フォーカシングミラーは、光偏向器で偏向され
た励起光を反射、集束し、入射ミラーを介して非線形光
学結晶に入射せしめているので、入射ミラーと出射ミラ
ーからなる共振器内で発生した光が入射ミラーと出射ミ
ラーの間を往復して発振する。 [実施例] 第1図は本発明の一実施例を示すもので、第3図と同
一部分は同一符号とする。第1図において、(5)は励
起光で、この励起光(5)は、例えばNd−YAGレーザ発
振器(図示せず)の出力レーダ光の第3高調波(波長35
5nm)からなっている。 (4)は前記励起光(5)のビーム径を小さくしてパ
ワー密度の大きい励起光(5a)とするコリメーティング
レンズである。(10)は前記励起光(5a)の進光方向を
光学材料の光弾性効果を利用して制御する光偏向器で、
この光偏向器(10)は二酸化テルル(TeO2)材料(11)
の電気音響変換器(トランスジューサ)(12)を設け、
この電気音響変換器(12)を発振器(13)で駆動する音
響光学偏向器からなっている。(14)は入射ミラー、
(15)は出射ミラーで、これらのミラー(14)(15)間
には非線形光学結晶(例えば尿素結晶)(3)が設けら
れている。(16)(17)は円筒面に近い曲面をもつフォ
ーカシングミラーで、一方のフォーカシングミラー(1
6)は前記光偏向器(10)で偏向された励起光(5b)を
反射かつ集束し、前記入射ミラー(14)を介して前記非
線形光学結晶(3)に入射するように配置され、他方の
フォーカシングミラー(17)は前記出射ミラー(15)か
ら出力した発振光(18)を所定の位置に反射しかつ集束
するように配置されている。θは、前記励起光(5b)の
光軸(19)と前記非線形光学結晶(3)の光学軸(8)
とがなす位相整合角を表わす。 つぎに前記実施例の作用を第2図を併用して説明す
る。 光偏向器(10)の発振器(13)の所定の電力(例えば
1W)を供給し、その発振周波数を所定範囲内(例えば20
〜200MHz)で変えると、励起光(5a)はその進向方向が
変化して励起光(5b)となる。(すなわち偏向する)。
このため、一方のフォーカシングミラー(16)で反射か
つ集束され、入射ミラー(14)を介して非線形光学結晶
(3)を入射する励起光(5b)の光軸(19)と非線形光
学結晶(3)の光学軸(8)とのなす位相整合角θが変
化し、この変化に対応して出射ミラー(15)を介して出
射する発振光(18)の波長(λsとλi)が第2図に示
すように変化する。 前記実施例では、光偏向器の一例としての音響光学偏
向器は、化学材料として二酸化テルル(TeO2)を用いる
ようにしたが、これに限るものでなく、溶融石英、PbM0
O4、LiNbO3、Geなどの光学材料に電気音響変換器を設
け、この電気音響変換器を発振器で駆動するようにして
もよい。 前記実施例では、光偏向器は音響光学偏向器とした
が、本発明はこれに限るものでなく、光学材料の光弾性
効果(例えば電気光学効果)を利用した光偏向器(例え
ば電気光学偏向器)であればよい。 [発明の効果] 本発明による光パラメトリック発振器は、上記のよう
に、光偏向器とフォーカシングミラーとを具備し、光偏
向器で励起光を偏向することによって、励起光の光軸と
非線形光学結晶の光学軸とがなす角度を変え、発振光の
出力波長を変えるようにしたので、発振光の出力波長を
高速(例えば1msec程度の時間)で変化させることがで
きるとともに従来のような結晶回転機構が不要となり構
造を簡単にすることができる。
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an optical parametric oscillator capable of changing the wavelength of oscillation light at high speed. [Prior Art] In a conventional optical parametric oscillator, as shown in FIG. 3, a nonlinear optical crystal (3) is provided between an entrance mirror (1) and an exit mirror (2), and a collimating lens (4) is provided.
And a non-linear optical crystal (3) via an incident mirror (1)
The optical axis (6) of the excitation light (5) (5a) incident on the optical axis (6) is fixed, and the optical table (6) of the excitation light (5) (5a) is rotated by rotating the rotary table (7) with a stepping motor or the like. )
The angle (phase matching angle) θ formed by and the optical axis (8) of the nonlinear optical crystal (3) was changed to change the wavelength of the oscillation light (9) output from the emission mirror (2). [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, as shown in FIG. 3, in the conventional parametric oscillator, the oscillated light beam is generated by mechanically rotating the nonlinear optical crystal (3) using the rotary table (7). Since the output wavelength of 9) was changed, it took a long time to rotate the nonlinear optical crystal (3), and it took a long time of several seconds to several tens of seconds to change the wavelength.
Further, there is a problem that the structure becomes complicated because a crystal rotation mechanism for rotating the nonlinear optical crystal (3) is required. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an optical parametric oscillator that can change the wavelength of oscillated light at high speed and can have a simple structure. [Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a nonlinear optical crystal between an entrance mirror and an exit mirror, and an optical axis of excitation light incident on the nonlinear optical crystal via the entrance mirror and the optics of the nonlinear optical crystal. An optical parametric oscillator in which the wavelength of the oscillated light output through the emission mirror is changed by changing the angle formed by the axis, and the optical parametric oscillator is arranged on the excitation light incidence side of the incidence mirror, and the optical axis of the excitation light and the nonlinear optical An optical deflector that deflects the excitation light to change the angle formed by the optical axis of the crystal, and focusing that reflects and focuses the excitation light deflected by this optical deflector and makes it incident on the nonlinear optical crystal through an incident mirror. It is characterized by comprising a mirror. [Operation] When the deflection angle of the excitation light is changed by the optical deflector, the angle formed by the optical axis of the excitation light and the crystal axis of the nonlinear optical crystal changes, and the output wavelength of the oscillation light changes. At this time, since the optical deflector uses the photoelastic effect of the optical material such as the acousto-optic effect and the electro-optic effect, it is possible to change the output wavelength of the oscillated light at a high speed by increasing the deflection speed of the excitation light. It becomes easy and the crystal rotation mechanism is not necessary. Further, since the focusing mirror reflects and focuses the excitation light deflected by the optical deflector and makes it enter the nonlinear optical crystal through the entrance mirror, the light generated in the resonator consisting of the entrance mirror and the exit mirror is reflected. Oscillates back and forth between the entrance mirror and the exit mirror. [Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and the same portions as those in FIG. In FIG. 1, (5) is pumping light, and this pumping light (5) is, for example, the third harmonic (wavelength 35) of the output radar light of an Nd-YAG laser oscillator (not shown).
5 nm). Reference numeral (4) is a collimating lens that reduces the beam diameter of the excitation light (5) to obtain excitation light (5a) having a high power density. (10) is an optical deflector for controlling the traveling direction of the excitation light (5a) by utilizing the photoelastic effect of an optical material,
This optical deflector (10) is made of tellurium dioxide (TeO 2 ) material (11)
The electro-acoustic transducer (transducer) (12) of
The electroacoustic transducer (12) is composed of an acoustooptic deflector driven by an oscillator (13). (14) is an incident mirror,
(15) is an emission mirror, and a nonlinear optical crystal (for example, urea crystal) (3) is provided between these mirrors (14) and (15). (16) and (17) are focusing mirrors having a curved surface close to a cylindrical surface. One of the focusing mirrors (1
6) is arranged so as to reflect and focus the excitation light (5b) deflected by the optical deflector (10) and enter the nonlinear optical crystal (3) through the incident mirror (14), while The focusing mirror (17) is arranged so as to reflect the oscillated light (18) output from the emission mirror (15) to a predetermined position and to focus it. θ is the optical axis (19) of the excitation light (5b) and the optical axis (8) of the nonlinear optical crystal (3)
Represents the phase matching angle formed by and. Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Predetermined power of the oscillator (13) of the optical deflector (10) (for example,
1W) and the oscillation frequency is within the specified range (for example, 20W).
The excitation light (5a) changes its advancing direction to become the excitation light (5b). (That is, biased).
Therefore, the optical axis (19) of the excitation light (5b) that is reflected and focused by one of the focusing mirrors (16) and enters the nonlinear optical crystal (3) through the incident mirror (14) and the nonlinear optical crystal (3). 2) changes the phase matching angle θ with the optical axis (8), and the wavelengths (λs and λi) of the oscillation light (18) emitted through the emission mirror (15) corresponding to this change are shown in FIG. It changes as shown in. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the acousto-optic deflector as an example of the optical deflector uses tellurium dioxide (TeO 2 ) as the chemical material, but the present invention is not limited to this, and fused quartz, PbM 0
An electroacoustic transducer may be provided in an optical material such as O 4 , LiNbO 3 , Ge, and the electroacoustic transducer may be driven by an oscillator. Although the optical deflector is an acousto-optical deflector in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and the optical deflector (for example, electro-optical deflection) utilizing the photoelastic effect (for example, electro-optical effect) of the optical material is used. Container) [Effects of the Invention] As described above, the optical parametric oscillator according to the present invention includes the optical deflector and the focusing mirror, and deflects the excitation light by the optical deflector, whereby the optical axis of the excitation light and the nonlinear optical crystal. Since the output wavelength of the oscillated light is changed by changing the angle formed by the optical axis of the oscillating light, the output wavelength of the oscillated light can be changed at high speed (for example, about 1 msec) and the conventional crystal rotation mechanism. Is unnecessary and the structure can be simplified.

【図面の簡単な説明】 第1図は本発明による光パラメトリック発振器の一実施
例を示す構成図、第2図は位相整合角θと発振光の出力
波長との関係を示す特性図、第3図は従来例の構成図で
ある。 (3)……非線形光学結晶、(5)(5a)(5b)……励
起光、(8)……非線形光学結晶(3)の光学軸、(1
0)……光偏向器、(18)……発振光、(19)……励起
光(5b)の光軸、θ……位相整合角。
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an optical parametric oscillator according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between a phase matching angle θ and an output wavelength of oscillation light, and FIG. The figure is a block diagram of a conventional example. (3) ... Nonlinear optical crystal, (5) (5a) (5b) ... Excitation light, (8) ... Optical axis of nonlinear optical crystal (3), (1
0) ... optical deflector, (18) ... oscillation light, (19) ... optical axis of excitation light (5b), θ ... phase matching angle.

───────────────────────────────────────────────────── フロントページの続き (72)発明者 松本 修 静岡県浜松市市野町1126番地の1 浜松 ホトニクス株式会社内 (72)発明者 小林 祐二 静岡県浜松市市野町1126番地の1 浜松 ホトニクス株式会社内 (72)発明者 大林 寧 静岡県浜松市市野町1126番地の1 浜松 ホトニクス株式会社内   ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page    (72) Inventor Osamu Matsumoto               1 Hamamatsu, 1126 Nomachi, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture               Inside Photonics Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yuji Kobayashi               1 Hamamatsu, 1126 Nomachi, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture               Inside Photonics Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor N. Obayashi               1 Hamamatsu, 1126 Nomachi, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture               Inside Photonics Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

(57)【特許請求の範囲】 1.入射ミラーと出射ミラーの間に非線形光学結晶を設
け、前記入射ミラーを介して前記非線形光学結晶に入射
する励起光の光軸と前記非線形光学結晶の光学軸とがな
す角度を変えることによって、前記出射ミラーを介して
出力する発振光の波長を変えるようにした光パラメトリ
ック発振器において、前記入射ミラーの励起光入射側に
配置され、前記励起光の光軸と前記非線形光学結晶の光
学軸とがなす角度を変えるために前記励起光を偏向する
光偏向器と、この光偏向器で偏向された励起光を反射、
集束し、前記入射ミラーを介して前記非線形光学結晶に
入射せしめるフォーカシングミラーとを具備してなるこ
とを特徴とする光パラメトリック発振器。 2.光偏向器は、二酸化テルル材料に電気音響変換器を
設け、この電気音響変換器を発振器で駆動する音響光学
偏向器としてなる特許請求の範囲第1項記載の光パラメ
トリック発振器。
(57) [Claims] By providing a non-linear optical crystal between the entrance mirror and the exit mirror, by changing the angle formed by the optical axis of the excitation light incident on the non-linear optical crystal through the entrance mirror and the optical axis of the non-linear optical crystal, In an optical parametric oscillator configured to change the wavelength of oscillation light output via an emission mirror, the optical parametric oscillator is disposed on the excitation light incidence side of the incidence mirror, and the optical axis of the excitation light and the optical axis of the nonlinear optical crystal form An optical deflector for deflecting the excitation light in order to change the angle, and reflecting the excitation light deflected by the optical deflector,
An optical parametric oscillator, comprising: a focusing mirror that focuses the light and makes it enter the nonlinear optical crystal through the incident mirror. 2. The optical parametric oscillator according to claim 1, wherein the optical deflector is an acousto-optic deflector in which an electroacoustic transducer is provided on a tellurium dioxide material and the electroacoustic transducer is driven by an oscillator.
JP62333712A 1987-12-29 1987-12-29 Optical parametric oscillator Expired - Fee Related JP2687127B2 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP62333712A JP2687127B2 (en) 1987-12-29 1987-12-29 Optical parametric oscillator

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP62333712A JP2687127B2 (en) 1987-12-29 1987-12-29 Optical parametric oscillator

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
JPH01178938A JPH01178938A (en) 1989-07-17
JP2687127B2 true JP2687127B2 (en) 1997-12-08

Family

ID=18269123

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
JP62333712A Expired - Fee Related JP2687127B2 (en) 1987-12-29 1987-12-29 Optical parametric oscillator

Country Status (1)

Country Link
JP (1) JP2687127B2 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2828345B1 (en) * 2001-07-31 2003-11-14 Thales Sa FREQUENCY CONVERSION LASER BEAM DEFLECTION DEVICE

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS49619A (en) * 1972-03-11 1974-01-07
JPS57141618A (en) * 1981-02-26 1982-09-02 Nec Corp Multiwavelength laser oscillator

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS49619A (en) * 1972-03-11 1974-01-07
JPS57141618A (en) * 1981-02-26 1982-09-02 Nec Corp Multiwavelength laser oscillator

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH01178938A (en) 1989-07-17

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
JP3421184B2 (en) Method of selecting wavelength in tunable laser and laser oscillating device capable of selecting wavelength in tunable laser
EP0108773A1 (en) Agile beam laser.
US4178561A (en) Scanning arrangements for optical frequency converters
JP3465478B2 (en) Optical parametric oscillator
JPS6290618A (en) Light modulator
US3992681A (en) Method and means for controlling population inversion and electronically scanning solid state laser output deflections
JP2687127B2 (en) Optical parametric oscillator
JP3255366B2 (en) Optical parametric oscillator
JPS6313386A (en) Short-pulse laser beam generator
GB1406820A (en) Lasers
JP2828514B2 (en) High-speed wavelength scanning device
JP3182749B2 (en) Solid-state laser device
JP3845687B2 (en) Raman laser oscillator
JP2674288B2 (en) Solid-state laser device
JP2900576B2 (en) Harmonic generator
JP3031740B2 (en) Harmonic generator
JP2001160642A (en) Integrated variable wavelength laser
KR100387228B1 (en) Acoustic-optic modulator in which diffraction efficiency is improved and modulating method thereof
JPH0645680A (en) Solid state laser
JPH0722686A (en) Laser wavelength conversion device
JPH04162581A (en) Solid-state laser oscillator
JPH06196792A (en) Second harmonic generator
JPH0854659A (en) Wavelength varying laser device
JPH05160475A (en) Laser
JPH01238615A (en) Acousto-optic modulator

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
LAPS Cancellation because of no payment of annual fees