Tunable and coherent nanosecond 7.2–12.2 μm mid-infrared generation based on difference frequency mixing in ZnGeP₂ crystal

Abstract

A coherent mid-infrared laser source, which can be tuned from 7.2 μm to 12.2 μm based on the type-II phase-matched difference frequency generation (DFG) in an uncoated ZnGeP₂ (ZGP) crystal, is reported. The two pump waves are from a type-II phase-matched dual-wavelength KTP optical parametric oscillator (OPO) of which the signal and idler waves are tuned during 1.85–1.96 μm (extraordinary wave) and 2.5–2.33 μm (ordinary wave), respectively. The maximum energy of the generated mid-infrared laser is 10 μJ at 9.22 μm, corresponding to the peak power of 2.2 kW.

Keywords

Optical Parametric Oscilla / Pump Wave / Extraordinary Wave / Idle Wave / Optical Parametric Oscilla Cavity

References

[1] ShiW., DingY. J.. Appl. Phys. Lett., 2003, 83: 848

[2] HuangL., SunB., YaoJ. Q., WangP.. Optoelectronics Letters, 2008, 4: 234

[3] SunB., YaoJ. Q., ZhangB. G., ZhangT. L., WangP.. Optoelectronics Letters, 2007, 3: 152

[4] VodopyanovK. L.. J. Opt. Soc. Am. B, 1993, 10: 1723

[5] HaidarS., MiyamotoK., ItoH.. Opt. Commun., 2004, 241: 173

[6] LippertE., RustadG., ArisholmG., StenersenK.. Opt. Express, 2008, 16: 13878

[7] VodopyanovK. L., SchunemannP. G.. Opt. Lett., 2003, 28: 441

[8] GhoshG.. Appl. Opt., 1998, 37: 1205

[9] YaoJ. Q.. Frequency Conversion for Nonlinear Optics and Laser Tuning Technique, 1995, Beijing, Science Press

[10] KatoK., TakaokaE.. Appl. Opt., 2002, 41: 5040

[11] ZelmonD. E., HanningE. A., SchuneemannP. G.. J. Opt. Soc. Am. B, 2001, 18: 1307

[12] DasS., BharG. C., GangopadhyayS., GhoshC.. Appl. Opt., 2003, 42: 4335