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Large aperture periodically-poled Rb:KTP crystals designed for optical parametric amplifiers in 2 µm LIDAR systems were radiation hardness tested by exposure of proton beams at 10 MeV and 60 MeV energies. An irradiation dose of 55 Gy was used to commensurate the crystals’ estimated exposure on board a mission in the low-Earth orbit. The irradiation effects were investigated by comparing optical transmission spectra and 2D effective nonlinearity mapping in a 2 µm OPO setup before and after irradiation. The results reveal that the periodically poled structure remained intact after irradiation, and the changes in the optical transmission and nonlinear properties were close to the measurement uncertainty. This investigation is essential for realizing efficient frequency converters for space applications, such as spaceborne active greenhouse gas monitoring LIDAR instruments or correlated photon-pair sources., QC 20230529

A stable, narrow-bandwidth (274 MHz) backward wave optical parametric oscillator (BWOPO) generating mJ-level backward signal at 1885nm and forward idler at 2495 nm is presented. The BWOPO was pumped by a single-longitudinal mode, Q-switched Nd:YAG high-energy laser at 1064 nm. We show that multi-transversal mode pumping leads to the spectral broadening of the BWOPO backward signal and the generation of nanosecond pulses 2.7 times above the Fourier transform limit. We demonstrate over 100 GHz continuous tuning of the parametric output by adjusting the temperature of the BWOPO crystal, showcasing the significant role of thermal expansion in tuning performance. The BWOPO signal was used as a seed for a single-stage PPRKTP optical parametric amplifier (OPA) to boost the narrowband signal and idler energies to 20 mJ. This combination of mJ-level BWOPO seed with a single-stage PPRKTP OPA comprises a simple concept that would benefit long-range differential absorption lidar (DIAL) in the near and mid-infrared regions., QC 20230815

QC 20230901, 2022-06180

QC 20230530

We demonstrate first-order quasi-phase-matched backward second-harmonic generation (BSHG) with an efficiency of 18.7%. This represents an increase by two orders of mag-nitude from earlier experiments employing higher-order quasi-phase-matching. The efficient BSHG is demonstrated in bulk periodically poled Rb:KTiOPO4 with a poling period of 317 nm. Using these structures, the frequency doubling in the backward direction is achieved for the fundamental wavelength of 2309 nm. Here we report on the experimental investigation of the BSHG properties such as spectral band-width, temperature tuning, and temperature bandwidth by employing broadband and narrowband fundamental wave-length sources. The BSHG properties are compared with those of co-propagating second harmonic generation to reveal the BSHG potential for novel applications that were proposed theoretically but have not been realized in practice so far., QC 20230425

We report a self-phase-locked and degenerate backward wave optical parametric oscillator (BWOPO) generating a counterpropagating signal and an idler in the spectral band of optical communication. The device is based on a periodically poled Rb-doped KTiOPO4 crystal with a poling period of 433 nm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the shortest quasi-phase matching period reported in the bulk of a ferroelectric crystal. The spectral and coherence properties of the BWOPO at degeneracy are investigated. We observe a single pass conversion efficiency of 40%. At degeneracy, the counterpropagating signal and idler generate phase-matched sum-frequency generation in both directions. We confirm the phase-locked state at degeneracy by interfering the pump with the frequency-doubled backward wave. The phase-locked state is stable during the entire duration of the experiment without active stabilization., QC 20230316

QC 20231025

A Nd:YVO4 laser operating at 1064 nm generating a stable mode-locked train of 10 ps-long dark pulses with a 211 MHz repetition rate is presented. The mode-locking relies on a periodic loss modulation produced by intra-cavity sum-frequency mixing with a synchronous bright-pulse train from a mode-locked femtosecond Yb:KYW laser at 1040 nm. A modulation depth of 9050 was achieved for the dark pulses, confirmed by cross-correlation measurements. The ultrafast loss modulation injects power into the Nd:YVO4 laser cavity modes beyond the laser gain bandwidth. At proper laser cavity length, the detuning interaction of these modes with the lasing modes leads to the generation of periodic ultra-fast transients at frequencies above 1.5 THz., QC 20220328

A midinfrared single-photon-counting lidar at 3 mu m is presented. The 3 mu m photons were upconverted to 790 nm in a periodically poled rubidium-doped KTiOPO4 crystal through intracavity mixing inside a 1064 nm Nd:YVO4 laser and detected using a conventional silicon single-photon avalanche detector (SPAD). The lidar system could distinguish 1 mm deep features on a diffusely reflecting target, limited by the SPAD and time-tagging electronics. This technique could easily be extended to longer wavelengths within the transparency of the nonlinear crystal. Published by Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License., QC 20220303

We experimentally explored the design parameter space for periodically poled Rb : KTiOPO4 (PPRKTP) struc-tures in type-II optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) pumped at 1.064 mu m and operating in the 1.8-2.5 mu m range. This study identifies a set of Sellmeier expansions and thermooptic coefficients that can be used to accurately design the type-II PPRKTP structures in this spectral range. The performance of this OPO regime is investigated by employing different periodicities of PPRKTP, and the effective nonlinear coefficient is determined. Output at the mJ level with a bandwidth of better than 10 MHz is readily generated without optical damage. The temperature tuning rate of about 8 GHz/K of the central OPO frequency is substantially lower than in similar periodically poled lithium niobate devices and can be exploited for precise frequency tuning and easier thermal stabilization. The stimulated backward polariton scattering in the OPO cavities is also investigated and discussed., QC 20230207

This paper presents a first demonstration of range-resolved differential absorption LIDAR (DIAL) measurements of the water vapor main isotopologue H216O and the less abundant semi-heavy water isotopologue HD16O with the aim of determining the isotopic ratio. The presented Water Vapor and Isotope Lidar (WaVIL) instrument is based on a parametric laser source emitting nanosecond pulses at 1.98 mu m and a direct-detection receiver utilizing a commercial InGaAs PIN photodiode. Vertical profiles of H216O and HD16O were acquired in the planetary boundary layer in the suburban Paris region up to a range of 1.5 km. For time averaging over 25 min, the achieved precision in the retrieved water vapor mixing ratio is 0.1 g kg-1 (2.5% relative error) at 0.4 km above ground level (a.g.l.) and 0.6 g kg-1 (20%) at 1 km a.g.l. for 150 m range bins along the LIDAR line of sight. For HD16O, weaker absorption has to be balanced with coarser vertical resolution (600 m range bins) in order to achieve similar relative precision. From the DIAL measurements of H216O and HD16O, the isotopic abundance delta D was estimated as -51%0 at 0.4 km above the ground and -119%0 in the upper part of the boundary layer at 1.3 km a.g.l. Random and systematic errors are discussed in the form of an error budget, which shows that further instrumental improvements are required on the challenging path towards DIAL-profiling of the isotopic abundance with range resolution and precision suitable for water cycle studies., QC 20230227

A new technique for mode-locking is demonstrated based on two lasers sharing one leg for sum-frequency generation. When the two lasers had equal round trip time one will produce bright pulses and the other dark pulses. Both lasers used Nd:YVO4 as the gain material, but operated at different wavelengths, namely 1064 nm and 1342 nm. In the present configuration, sub-250 ps pulses were generated at a repetition rate of 276 MHz with an output power of 70 mW. With appropriate choice of round trip loss at the two wavelengths it was possible to choose which laser was generating the bright pulses., QC 20221202

We present a narrowband, non-resonant optical parametric oscillator based on 5-mm thick Rb-doped periodically-poled KTiOPO4 (PPKTP) operating in the high-energy/low repetition-rate regime. An uncoated volume Bragg grating (VBG) is employed as one of the cavity mirrors reflecting only the signal whereas the other cavity mirror is reflecting only the idler. Pumping by a Nd:YAG laser at 1.0642 mu m in a double-pass, the signal plus idler output energy reached almost 5 mJ at a repetition rate of 100 Hz corresponding to a conversion efficiency of similar to 26%. Both signal and idler are narrowband with full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 0.5 nm at 1942 nm and 0.76 nm at 2355 nm, respectively., QC 20220812Part of proceedings: ISBN 978-1-5106-4842-5; 978-1-5106-4841-8

In the frame of LEMON project (Lidar Emitter and Multi-species greenhouse gases Observation iNstrument - European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, GA n°821868), we are developing a multi-species differential absorption Lidar (DIAL). The goal is to benefit from innovative technological developments in terms of optical emitter, spectral reference, to be able to address H2O and its isotope HDO at 1982 nm, CO2 at 2051 nm, and potentially CH4 at 2290 nm, for future ground-based range-resolved DIAL sensing, and with the prospect of future airborne integrated-path DIAL (IPDA). The infrared emitter is based on the combination of two specific, patented, no-seeder Nested Cavity OPOs (NesCOPOs) coupled to a single optical parametric amplifier (OPA) line for high energy pulses generation. Specific developments are also pursued on the frequency reference for the emitter, which is planned to be provided by a GPS referenced frequency comb against which the emitter output pulses can be heterodyned. Besides the instrument design, specific tests experiments have been carried out, covering a wide panel of activities: radiation testing of some critical components to assess the potential of some key components for future space applications, emitter and frequency reference testing, preliminary DIAL tests with laboratory test-beds and comparison with specific in-situ calibration instruments as well as additional innovative techniques evaluation for the emitter. The final instrument design was carried out and the sub-units are now being built., QC 20230831

Cavity-free, precision-tunable source of a nanosecond, mJ-level, pulses consisting of backward optical parametric oscillator pumped by diode-seeded laser amplifier shows a record threshold of 19 MW/cm2 and an optical-to-optical efficiency exceeding 70%., Part of ISBN 9781557528209QC 20230801

Precision-tuned nanosecond pulses at 1981.1 nm and 2145.6 nm are generated from a PPKTP BWOPO with 70% efficiency, pumped by an amplified single-frequency fiber laser at 1030 nm. It is free from mechanically-adjustable optical cavities., Part of ISBN 9781557528209SyskonpostNot duplicate with DiVA 1762211QC 20230622

Precision-Tunable mJ, nanosecond pulses at 1981.1 nm and 2145.6 nm are generated at 5kHz repetition with an efficiency of 70% in a cavity-free arrangement using a PPRKTP BWOPO pumped by a narrowband DPSSL at 1030nm., Part of ISBN 9781557528209QC 20230626

We demonstrate self-compression of 173 fs pulses centered at 1030 nm down to 19.5 fs through electro-optic phase modulation by the phonon-polariton waves generated in a phase-matched intra-pulse difference-frequency mixing., Part of ISBN 9781557528209SyskonpostNot duplicate with DiVA 1763546QC 20230622