Tunable 2.3–3 μm optical vortex parametric laser

Abstract

Abstract We generate a tunable (2.3–3 μm) optical vortex output with an order of 1 or 2 from a 1 μm optical-vortex-pumped singly resonant parametric oscillator based on a Mg doped periodically poled lithium niobate crystal. The orbital angular momentum (OAM) from the pump vortex beam was transferred to the mid-infrared idler output in this signal singly resonant high-Q cavity configuration. A maximum vortex output energy of 1.52 mJ was achieved within a wavelength tuning range of 2.27–2.96 µm. The signal beam with the Gaussian spatial profile was also generated within a 1.66–2 μm tuning range. The wide spectral bandwidth was experimentally measured near the wavelength degeneracy and explained by theoretically.