This is the third in a series on OPOs from Gamdan Optics… With all the different types of OPOs, the choice of nonlinear crystal depends upon many factors: the desired beam powers, wavelengths, temporal profile (pulsed or CW), and other aspects of the OPO. The characteristics of all three beams (pump, signal, and idler) matter. The nonlinear crystal needs to transmit all the wavelengths. The crystal needs to provide a sufficiently strong nonlinear interaction between the beams—the crystal’s ability to support a strong nonlinear interaction is often characterized by a number, the nonlinear coupling coefficient.
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