HIGH-POWER MULTI-FUNCTION MILLIMETER-WAVE SIGNAL GENERATION USING OPO AND DFG

摘要

Apparatus and method for high-power multi-function millimeter-wavelength (THz-frequency) signal generation using OPO and DFG in a single cavity. In some embodiments, the OPO-DFG cavity includes an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) non-linear material that receives pump light I_P having pump-light frequency and generates two different lower intermediate frequencies of light - an OPO-signal beam I_S and a spatially/temporally overlapping OPO-idler beam I_I. A difference-frequency generator non-linear material then receives the two intermediate-frequency beams II and IS, and the DFG then generates a THz-frequency output signal that has a frequency equal to the difference between the two intermediate frequencies. In some embodiments, a single-piece crystal of non-linear material is used for both OPO and DFG functions. Some embodiments use a bow-tie ring having four mirrors that define the optical path: an IP-beam-entry mirror, an IP-light-extraction mirror to remove unconverted I_P-beam, an II-beam-extraction mirror, and an IS-beam-extraction mirror, and a fifth I_THz-beam-extraction mirror.