A perfectly generated wave may be plano or spherical. What happens to it as it travels may alter that perfect shape. This circumstance is called wavefront distortion.
Tight control of crystal growth, sophisticated selection of material, near compulsive attention to detail in manufacturing and polishing combine with discriminating inspection practices to ensure that GAMDAN Optics products are free of transmissive wavefront errors.
Read MoreThis 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.
Read MoreOPOs can use a wide range of laser pump beams. The pump lasers can be continuous or pulsed. Pulsed pump lasers might have almost any pulse length, ranging from Q-switched lasers to mode-locked lasers. The OPO will generally produce output with a temporal profile similar to the pump laser. CW pumps drive CW OPOs; pulsed pumps drive pulsed OPOs.
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