Optical parametric oscillator pumped by a Bessel beam

We demonstrate operation of a KTP optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a Bessel beam for the first time to our knowledge. It is shown that the output of the OPO has a transverse profile, which is consistent with noncollinear phase-matching relations defined by a conical pump. The central spot and ring related to the pair of signal and idler beams were generated in the OPO. By adjusting the OPO cavity mirrors, we easily selected the lowest-order mode as well as the higher-order transverse modes in the central spot. Bessel beam pumping was shown to be useful, providing tubular beam coupling into OPO cavity modes. The OPO threshold pump energy was similar to 100 mu J in a 6-ns pulse. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.