Abstract

We report the first operation of an excimer-pumped optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on the new non-linear crystal LiB₃O₅ (LBO). Three phase-matching geometries have been explored to generate tunable radiation throughout the entire range 372 am – 1.8 μm. The crystal LiB₃O₅ offers several advantages over β–BaB₂O₄ (BBO)¹ for use in an OPO: it exhibits a higher optical damage threshold with comparable non-linear coefficients; possesses a non-critical phase-matching (NCPM) capability that avoids the effects of beam walk-off, thus promising high conversion efficiencies particularly in the UV spectral regions; and is temperature-tunable.

© 1990 Optical Society of America