Nearly diffraction-limited signal generated by a lower beam-quality pump in an optical parametric oscillator

The beam quality of an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) within a singly resonant, confocal-positive branch unstable resonator is investigated. Resonator configurations have been found in which the beam quality of the outgoing signal exceeds the beam quality of the pump. Cavity magnification and pumppulse duration are found to determine the signal beam quality. It is shown that signal M²decreases with increasing pump-pulse duration for a given cavity magnification. In an experimental demonstration of a LiNbO₃OPO within an unstable resonator, pumped by a multitransversal mode beam, a signal beam with an almost-single transversal mode has been generated, whereas the multitransversal mode behavior of the pump beam is projected on the idler beam.