The compound cavity optical parametric oscillator: theory and experiment

We present the time dynamics of a compound-cavity optical parametric oscillator (OPO) using a mathematical model for the modes under the gain profile of the oscillator which accounts for pump depletion and the cavity-Q factors. The computational results show that this type of cavity is superior in that its threshold is lower than that of a simple narrow-band cavity with dispersive elements and its efficiency is increased, while its narrow linewidth remains nearly the same across the tunable range of the nonlinear crystals used. A diagram illustrating the operation state of a compound-cavity OPO is presented, which is applicable to the simple narrow-band cavity, simple broad-band cavity, compound cavity, and traveling-wave amplification. The theoretical results are compared to the experimental data from a compound-cavity OPO using a grazing-incidence prism and grating as dispersive elements.