Femtosecond visible optical parametric oscillator

The current theoretical understanding, in terms of numerical simulations and simple models, of the various modes of operation of the visible-range beta-barium borate optical parametric oscillator pumped by the second harmonic of a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser is analyzed and compared with experimental measurements. These observations include operation of the optical parametric oscillator without prisms and the associated self-compression that is due to cascaded second-order effects. The performance of the oscillator with group-delay-dispersion compensation prisms is described in terms of a simulation-based soliton model that determines the variation of pulse duration with group-delay dispersion, third-order dispersion, and wavelength. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America.