The properties of all-optical phase-coherent frequency division by 3, based on a self-phase-locked continuous-wave ͑cw͒ optical parametric oscillator ͑OPO͒, are investigated theoretically and experimentally. The frequency to be divided is provided by a diode laser master-oscillator power-amplifier system operated at a wavelength of 812 nm and used as the pump source of the OPO. Optical self-phase-locking of the OPO signal and idler waves is achieved by mutual injection locking of the signal

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... and the intracavity frequency-doubled idler wave. The OPO process and the second-harmonic generation of the idler wave are simultaneously phase matched through quasi-phase-matching using two periodically poled sections of different period manufactured within the same LiNbO 3 crystal. An optical self-phase-locking range of up to 1 MHz is experimentally observed. The phase coherence of frequency division by three is measured via the phase stability of an interference pattern formed by the input and output waves of the OPO. The fractional frequency instability of the divider is measured to be smaller than 7.6ϫ10 Ϫ14 for a measurement time of 10 s ͑resolution limited͒. The self-phase-locking characteristics of the cw OPO are theoretically investigated by analytically solving the coupled field equations in the steady-state regime. For the experimental parameters of the OPO, the calculations predict a locking range of 1.3 MHz and a fractional frequency instability of 1.6ϫ10 Ϫ15 , in good agreement with the experimental results.