Parametric generation of picosecond continuum in nearinfrared and visible ranges on the basis of a quadratic nonlinearity

A numerical analysis is made of the three-wave parametric interaction with the aim of rinding anomalously wide frequency bands of eollinear amplification. A report is given of experimental attainment of collinear generation of 1-μ radiation with a spectral width ~3000 cm^–1 in a superluminescent parametric oscillator utilizing a KDP crystal (oo–e interaction) pumped by the second harmonic of a phosphate glass picosecond laser. It is also reported that frequency doubling of this radiation in a KDP crystal can be used to generate wide-band (spectral width ~1000 cm^–1) radiation in the region of 0.5 μ.