Generation of frequency-tunable single ultrashort light pulses in an LiIO3 crystal

Efficient parametric conversion of single ultrashort light pulses in an LiIO₃ crystal was achieved. The parametric signal energy reached 200 μJ when the crystal was pumped with the second harmonic of a mode-locked YAG:Nd³⁺ laser. The wavelength of this signal could be tuned continuously in the range 0.66–2.75 μ. A Pikokhron image converter was used to show that the duration of the parametric signal decreased considerably to 2–3 psec, which was much less than the duration of the pump pulses.