Generation and optical parametric amplification of picosecond supercontinuum.

We have demonstrated the output characteristics of optical parametric amplification (OPA) seeded by a supercontinuum (SC) generated in deionized water excited by 1064 nm. The SC spectrum (from 426 to 943 nm) overlaps well with the tuning range of a 355 nm pumped OPA for both the signal and idler. The tunable range covers from 430 to 2035 nm, with a maximum overall energy conversion efficiency of 32% in the OPA stage. A FWHM bandwidth of 54 nm near the degeneracy point from 658 to 760 nm can be generated by using a collinear OPA. Chirping of the SC pulses is also investigated with the OPA technique. The time delay between the 430 nm component and the 567 nm component of the generated SC due to chirp is measured to be -10.72 ps, increasing almost linearly with the wavelength.