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The Concept of Pump Depletion in Photonics

Pump depletion is a critical phenomenon in photonics where the pump power for a specific process within a device gets consumed, usually through the conversion of the pump power into other optical powers. This term is commonly used in devices involved in nonlinear frequency conversion, such as frequency doubling, sum and difference frequency generation, and optical parametric oscillators.

Understanding Pump Depletion

For instance, if an optical parametric oscillator exhibits a pump depletion of 60%, it indicates that 60% of the initially injected pump power is transformed into signal and idler power, assuming minimal losses through other processes. Strong pump depletion is a natural outcome of efficient power conversion, and measuring pump depletion can provide valuable insights into the performance of nonlinear frequency conversion devices.

Factors Influencing Pump Depletion

The level of pump depletion, which directly correlates with efficiency, can vary depending on the device. In some cases, such as single-pass frequency doublers, pump depletion increases steadily with rising pump power. Conversely, in devices like optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) or resonant frequency doublers, the peak pump depletion occurs at a specific pump power level. Various factors, including mode matching, impedance matching of optical resonators, and transverse effects, can impose limitations on the maximum achievable pump depletion.

Conclusion

Understanding pump depletion is crucial for optimizing the performance of nonlinear frequency conversion devices in photonics. By grasping the concept of pump depletion and its implications, researchers and engineers can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of such devices.

Source: ResearchGate
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