title: Pulse-shape improvement during amplification and second-harmonic generation of picosecond pulses at 531 nm.
abstract: We study second-harmonic generation of picosecond pulses in bulk periodically poled lithium niobate using an all-semiconductor master oscillator-power amplifier with gain-switched seed as our fundamental source. Both during amplification and during the subsequent second-harmonic generation, the signal pulse shape improves, and the resulting pulses at 531 nm are nearly independent of the seed pump conditions. Over a wide range of repetition rates and seed settings, we obtain green pulses with a duration of less than 31 ps FWHM and a peak power of more than 5.1 W. We further investigate the influence of the fundamental's spectral dynamics on pulsed second-harmonic generation efficiency and obtain excellent agreement between our measurements and previously published theoretical treatments.
authors.affiliation: PicoQuant GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 29, 12489 Berlin, Germany. riecke@picoquant.com
authors.forename: Sina M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Riecke
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lauritsen
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Erdmann
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uebernickel
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Paschke
authors.forename: Götz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erbert