Injection-seeded optical parametric amplifier for generating chirped nanosecond pulses.

We constructed an optical parametric amplifier with BiBO crystals, which was injection seeded by a phase-modulated cw beam in the 1,040-1,070 nm region. Two-stage pre-amplification by Yb-doped fibers were implemented for stable injection to the OPA. The frequency chirp in the OPA pulse was actively controlled by adjusting the RF wave for the phase modulation and its synchronization to the OPA firing. Down/up chirps with up to 500 MHz shift were demonstrated. The output pulse energy was ~40 mJ, which is sufficient for future application of frequency conversion and coherent population transfer.