Mid-IR Optical Parametric Oscillator Based on Periodically Polled LiNbO3 Pumped by Tm3+:Lu2O3 Ceramic Laser

Optical parametric oscillator based on a periodically poled MgO:LiNbO3 crystal pumped by a repetitevely pulsed Tm3+:Lu2O3 ceramics laser at 1966 nm was studied. The OPO average output power up to 530 mW at wavelength of 3.7–4.2 μm was achieved at the ceramics laser power of 7.9 W. The optical-to-optical efficiency of OPO energy conversion was up to 6.7%, and the slope efficiency was up to 8%.