Optical parametric amplifier




An optical parametric amplifier allows the amplification of a weak signal-impulse in a noncentrosymmetric nonlinear medium (e.g. Beta barium borate (BBO)). In contrast to the previously mentioned amplifiers, which are mostly used in telecommunication environments, this type finds its main application in expanding the frequency tunability of ultrafast solid-state lasers (e.g. Ti:sapphire). By using a noncollinear interaction geometry optical parametric amplifiers are capable of extremely broad amplification bandwidths.

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