Optical parametric oscillator including a saturable absorber having a saturable absorption characteristic

摘要

In an optical parametric oscillator including a laser medium (3) for producing a fundamental wave, a pair of optical elements (4 and 8) constituting a resonator exhibiting resonance for the fundamental wave, and a nonlinear optical crystal (7) between the optical elements for carrying out wavelength-conversion on the fundamental wave to produce a wavelength-converted wave so that one (8) of the optical elements transmits the wavelength-converted wave as an oscillator output wave, a saturable absorber (10) is located between the optical elements. The saturable absorber has a saturable absorption characteristic for the fundamental wave to allow transmission of the fundamental wave of a higher intensity higher than a predetermined intensity and to disallow transmission of the fundamental wave of a lower intensity hot higher than the predetermined intensity. The saturable absorber exhibits a decreased absorption coefficient at the higher intensity of the fundamental wave to allow transmission of the fundamental wave of the higher intensity without absorbing the fundamental wave of the higher intensity and an increased absorption coefficient at the lower intensity of the fundamental wave to disallow transmission of the fundamental wave of the lower intensity by absorbing the fundamental wave of the lower intensity.