Weak-signal conversion from 1550nm to 532nm with 84% efficiency

We report on the experimental frequency conversion of a dim, coherent continuous-wave light field from 1550nm to 532nm with an external photon-number conversion efficiency of (84.4 +/- 1.5)%. We used sum-frequency generation, which was realized in a standing-wave cavity built around a periodically poled type I potassium titanyl phosphate (PPKTP) crystal, pumped by an intense field at 810 nm. Our result is in full agreement with a numerical model. For optimized cavity coupler reflectivities it predicts a conversion efficiency of up to 93% using the same PPKTP crystal.