Mid-infrared ZnGeP2 parametric oscillator directly pumped by a pulsed 2 microm Tm-doped fiber laser

We have demonstrated what we believe to be the first mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped directly by a pulsed Tm-doped fiber laser. The Tm-fiber pump laser produces 30 ns pulses with a repetition rate of 30 kHz at a wavelength of 2 microm. The ZnGeP2 (ZGP) OPO produces 20 ns mid-IR pulses in the 3.4-3.9 microm and 4.1-4.7 microm spectral regions simultaneously. More than 658 mW of mid-IR output power has been generated with a total OPO slope efficiency greater than 35%.     

ZnGeP2 optical parametric oscillator with 3.8-12.4-mum tunability

A ZnGeP>(2) (ZGP) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) with wide mid-IR tunability has been demonstrated. The singly resonant angle-tuned ZGP OPO was pumped by 100-ns erbium laser pulses at lambda =2.93mum and yielded output that was continuously tunable from 3.8 to 12.4 mum (type I phase matching) and from 4 to 10 mum (type II phase matching). An OPO pump threshold was less than 1 mJ in the whole 4-12 mum range of the output, and the quantum conversion efficiency reached 35%. An OPO linewidth was typically a few wave numbers; however, with a single intracavity etalon (uncoated Si plate) in a type II OPO it was narrowed to <0.5cm(-1). We demonstrate the sensitive detection of N(2)O gas with the narrow-linewidth OPO.     

Wavelength-agile mid-infrared (5-10 microm) generation using a galvano-controlled KTiOPO4 optical parametric oscillator

A wavelength-agile mid-infrared (IR) ZnGeP2 (ZGP) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) using a galvano-controlled double-crystal KTiOPO4 (KTP) OPO was demonstrated. The mid-IR wavelength was tuned by varying the KTP OPO pump wavelength while the ZGP crystal angle remained fixed. Rapid tuning of the KTP OPO was achieved by changing the crystal angle by using the galvano scanner. Our mid-IR source can jump to a different wavelength without scanning through the intermediate wavelengths while also permitting continuous-wavelength scanning. The mid-IR source can be tuned from approximately 5to10 microm at a phase-matching angle of 51 degrees , while the pump wavelength is controlled in the 1.95-2.2 microm range.     

Mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator based on ZnGeP2 pumped by 2-μm laser

We present a 3 5 μ m optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on ZGP pumped by KTP OPO 2.1-μ m laser. The tuning curves of ZGP OPO are calculated. The 8 ×6 ×18 (mm) ZGP crystal, whose end faces are antireflection coated at 2.1 and 3.7 4.6 μ m, is cut as θ =53.5°, φ =0°. When the pump power of 2.1-μ m polarized laser is 15 W at 8 kHz, 5.7-W output power and 46.6% slope efficiency are obtained with a ZGP type I phase match. Central wavelengths of the signal and idler lasers are 4.10 and 4.32 μ m, respectively. Pulse duration is about 27 ns. Beam quality factor M 2 is better than 1.8. The tunability of 3 5 μ m can be achieved by changing the angle of the ZGP crystal.     

Nanosecond optical parametric oscillator based on large-aperture periodically poled RbTiOAsO(4)

We report on optical parametric oscillators (OPO's) based on periodically poled RbTiOAsO(4) (PP RTA), which are pumped by Q -switched solid-state lasers. With a diode-pumped Nd:YVO(4) laser (pulse energy, 800microJ ; pulse duration, 5.5 ns; repetition rate, 1 kHz) the PP RTA OPO generated 1.58-microm signal and 3.26-microm idler radiation with a signal pulse energy of 45microJ . The large aperture of 3 mmx3 mm of the PP RTA crystal also permitted OPO operation with pump pulse energies as high as 65 mJ, provided by a flash-lamp-pumped Q -switched Nd:YAG laser (pulse duration, 20 ns; repetition rate, 10 Hz). With this pump source the OPO generated signal pulse energies as high as 17 mJ, corresponding to an efficiency of 26%. The performance of this OPO shows that large-aperture PP RTA crystals are well suited for pulsed nanosecond OPO operation with pump pulse energies of tens of millijoules.     

ZnGeP2 parametric oscillator pumped by a linewidth-narrowed parametric 2 microm source

A tandem optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is used to convert radiation from 1.064 microm to the mid-infrared. Spectral bandwidth narrowing close to 80 times compared with a conventional cavity was achieved by using a bulk Bragg grating as an outcoupler in a near-degenerate periodically poled KTiOPO(4) OPO. The narrowed 2,008 nm radiation was subsequently used for pumping the ZnGeP(2) OPO, which was tunable between 3.3 and 5.2 microm. Pulse energies of 170 microJ and pump depletion close to 70% were obtained in the ZnGeP(2) OPO. To our knowledge this is the first time the output from a near-degenerate type I PPKTP OPO has been used for ZnGeP(2) OPO pumping.     

Comparative investigation of long-wave infrared generation based on ZnGeP2 and CdSe optical parametric oscillators

Long-wave infrared(IR) generation based on type-II(o→e+o) phase matching ZnGeP 2(ZGP) and CdSe optical parametric oscillators(OPOs) pumped by a 2.05 μm Tm,Ho:GdVO 4 laser is reported.The comparisons of the birefringent walk-off effect and the oscillation threshold between ZGP and CdSe OPOs are performed theoretically and experimentally.For the ZGP OPO,up to 419 mW output at 8.04 μm is obtained at the 8 kHz pump pulse repetition frequency(PRF) with a slope efficiency of 7.6%.This ZGP OPO can be continuously tuned from 7.8 to 8.5 μm.For the CdSe OPO,we demonstrate a 64 mW output at 8.9 μm with a single crystal 28 mm in length.     

Optical parametric oscillation in quasi-phase-matched GaAs

We demonstrate an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on GaAs. The OPO utilizes an all-epitaxially-grown orientation-patterned GaAs crystal that is 0.5 mm thick, 5 mm wide, and 11 mm long, with a domain reversal period of 61.2 microm. Tuning either the near-IR pump wavelength between 1.8 and 2 microm or the temperature of the GaAs crystal allows the mid-IR output to be tuned between 2.28 and 9.14 microm, which is limited only by the spectral range of the OPO mirrors. The pump threshold of the singly resonant OPO is 16 microJ for the 6-ns pump pulses, and the photon conversion slope efficiency reaches 54%. We also show experimentally the possibility of pump-polarization-independent frequency conversion in GaAs.     

Efficient conversion from 1 to 2 microm by a KTP-based ring optical parametric oscillator

Conversion of Q -switched 1.064-microm Nd:YAG laser pulses to the 2-2.2-mu; m region with 46% efficiency is demonstrated with a KTP-based type 2 phase-matched optical parametric oscillator (OPO) with two pairs of walk-off compensating crystals in a ring resonator. With 10 mJ of pump energy, we obtain 2.5 mJ at the 2.06-microm signal and 2.1 mJ at the 2.2-microm idler, with a beam quality of M(2) approximately 1.4 . With a ZnGeP(2) -based OPO pumped by the signal from the KTP OPO we achieved 14% conversion efficiency from 1.064microm to the 3-5-microm range.     

Comparative investigation of long-wave infrared generation based on ZnGeP2 and CdSe optical parametric oscillators

Long-wave infrared (IR) generation based on type-II (o→e+o) phase matching ZnGeP₂ (ZGP) and CdSe optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) pumped by a 2.05 μm Tm,Ho:GdVO₄ laser is reported. The comparisons of the birefringent walk-off effect and the oscillation threshold between ZGP and CdSe OPOs are performed theoretically and experimentally. For the ZGP OPO, up to 419 mW output at 8.04 μm is obtained at the 8 kHz pump pulse repetition frequency (PRF) with a slope efficiency of 7.6%. This ZGP OPO can be continuously tuned from 7.8 to 8.5 μm. For the CdSe OPO, we demonstrate a 64 mW output at 8.9 μm with a single crystal 28 mm in length.     

Performance evaluation of ZnGeP2 optical parametric oscillator pumped by a Q-switched Tm,Ho:GdVO4 laser

A doubly resonant ZnGeP2 （ZGP） optical parametric oscillator （OPO） pumped by a novel Tm,Ho：GdVO4 laser was demonstrated. Cryogenic Tin（5 at.-%）, Ho（0.5 at.-%）：GdVO4 laser with high pulse repetition frequency （PRF） of 10 kHz at 2.05 μm was employed as pumping source of ZGP OPO. The 15-mm-long ZGP crystal, 55° cut for I-type phase-matching with low absorption coefficient less than 0.05 cm^-1 at 2 μm, was placed in a piano-piano cavity with resonator length of 30 mm. The ZGP OPO generated a total combined output power of 1.2 W at 3.75 and 4.52 μm under pumping power of 5.3 W, corresponding to slope efficiency of 40% from incident 2μm laser power to midinfrared （Mid-IR） output. A widely tunable range from 3.0 to 6.5 μm was achieved by changing the crystal angle only 3.5°.     

A ring ZnGeP2 optical parametric oscillator pumped by a Ho:LuAG laser

We have demonstrated that we believe to be the first ring ZnGeP₂ (ZGP) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a pulsed Ho:LuAG laser. The maximum output power of the ring ZGP OPO laser was 5.51 W at 13.1 W incident Ho pump power, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 59.0 %. The ZGP OPO laser produced 14 ns mid-infrared pulses in the 3.72–4.01 and 4.37–4.75 μm spectral regions simultaneously. In addition, the continuous wave Ho:LuAG laser generated 26.5 W of linearly output at 2,094.4 nm at the absorbed Tm pump power of 49.9 W.     

1.2 W中红外ZnGeP2光参量振荡器

报导了利用Tm,HoGdVO4激光器抽运双谐振ZnGeP2光参量振荡器实验研究.Tm(5%),Ho(0.5%)GdVO4晶体采用液氮制冷方式,工作在77 K温度条件下.以25 W波长为800 nm的光纤耦合激光二极管抽运,2 μm激光最大平均功率7 W,脉冲宽度小于30 ns, 脉冲重复频率5 kHz到20 kHz可调.非线性频率转换晶体ZnGeP2长15 mm,55?切割,OPO谐振腔为平平腔,腔长约25 mm.在5W的2 μm激光抽运下,脉冲重复频率10 kHz,实现了信号光3.7 μm及闲频光4.5 μm中红外激光输出,参量光脉冲宽度为15～17 ns,最大平均功率大于1.2 W,光-光转换效率为20%.测量参量光输出光束全宽度远场发散角4 mrad,光束质量M2因子小于3.     

Mid-infrared ZGP OPO pumped by near-degenerate narrowband type-I PPKTP parametric oscillator

The total pulse energy of the signal and idler in a near-degenerate type-I periodically poled KTiOPO₄ (PPKTP) optical parametrical oscillator (OPO) was spectrally confined within a 2 nm spectral bandwidth at 2.13 μm. This was achieved by using a volume Bragg grating as the output coupler. Both the signal and the idler from the PPKTP OPO were then simultaneously used to pump a mid-infrared ZnGeP₂ (ZGP) OPO. The 2 nm bandwidth was narrower than the ZGP crystal acceptance bandwidth and, thus, made efficient conversion in the second OPO possible. A total slope efficiency of 10% from 1.06 μm to the 3.5–5 μm region was demonstrated, generating 250 μJ in the mid-IR with only 3.6 mJ of 1.06 μm pump energy. This corresponds to a Nd:YAG pump to mid-IR conversion efficiency of 7%. PACS 42.65.Yj; 42.72.Ai; 42.40.Eq     

Pump tuned wide tunable noncritically phase-matched ZnGeP2 narrow line width optical parametric oscillator

A line tunable singly resonant noncritically phase matched narrow band width ZnGeP₂ (ZGP) optical parametric oscillator pumped by the output idler radiation from a KTA OPO based on a 20 mm long KTA crystal pumped from a Q-switched Gaussian shaped Nd:YAG laser beam with a grating having grooves density 85 lines/mm has been demonstrated in the spectral ranges of 3–7 μm. The measured threshold of oscillation energy was 10 μJ. The conversion efficiency was 20.5% and slope efficiency of the ZGP OPO was 20% using a 23 mm long ZGP crystal at 26 mm cavity length. Line width of the generated infrared radiation from ZGP OPO was 37–60 nm.     

Optical parametric generation of a mid-infrared continuum in orientation-patterned GaAs

We have generated an ultrabroad mid-infrared continuum by using single-pass optical parametric generation (OPG) in orientation-patterned GaAs (OP-GaAs). The spectrum spans more than an octave, from 4.5 to 10.7 microm, measured 20 dB down from the peak. The 17.5 mm long, 0.5 mm thick, all-epitaxially-grown OP-GaAs sample with a 166.6-microm quasi-phase-matching period was pumped with 3.1-3.3 microm wavelength, 1 ps pulses up to 2 microJ in energy. The OPG threshold was observed at 55 nJ pump energy with the pump polarized along the [111] crystal direction. The slope efficiency near threshold was 51%, and the external conversion efficiency was as high as 15%.     

Application of a continuously tunable, cw optical parametric oscillator for high-resolution spectroscopy

We report the use of a smoothly tunable, single-frequency continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator (OPO) for high-resolution spectroscopy. The OPO is based on potassium titanyl phosphate and is resonant for both signal and idler fields, resulting in a device with a very low pump power threshold of 30 mW. The frequency-selective nature of the doubly resonant oscillator ensures that the signal and idler modes can be tuned across the entire phase-match bandwidth without the need for additional intracavity frequency-selective components. Smooth frequency tuning of the output of the OPO is obtained by tuning of the pump laser. To demonstrate the practicality of our OPO we recorded the absorption spectrum of cesium vapor in the 1-microm spectral region.     

Mid-infrared (2.75-6.0-microm) second-harmonic generation in LiInS(2)

Phase-matched second-harmonic generation is obtained in various LiInS(2) crystals by use of the tunable picosecond output of the free-electron laser for infrared experiments (FELIX) as the pump source in the mid-IR range from 2.75 to 6.0 microm. Deviations from the phase-matching curve calculated from Boyd's refractive-index data are observed. Furthermore, the optical damage threshold of the crystals has been measured to be 1.1. J/cm(2)(>6 GW/cm(2)) at the 5-microm wavelength. LiInS(2) holds great promise for parametric interaction in the 1-13-microm range.     

LiInSe2 nanosecond optical parametric oscillator

Optical parametric oscillation using the new lithium selenoindate nonlinear crystal is reported for what is to our knowledge the first time. A 17 mm long, type II phase-matched sample is pumped by a 10 ns Nd:YAG laser. The minimum pump energy threshold is 3 mJ for a signal-resonant configuration. The signal and idler waves are tunable between 1.47 and 1.57 microm, and 3.3 and 3.78 microm, with a total output energy of 170 microJ corresponding to a 2.4% energy conversion at 8 mJ pump, only limited by the AR coatings damage. With optimized crystal quality and coatings, lithium selenoindate should show superior performance as compared with AgGaS(e)2 crystals, owing to its 4x larger thermal conductivity.     

Effect of resonator length on ZnGeP<Subscript>2</Subscript> doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator pumped by a Tm,Ho:GdVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> laser

The effect of resonator length on ZnGeP₂ doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator was reported in this letter. With the employment of a Tm,Ho:GdVO₄ laser as the pump source at 2.05 μm, we have found that there are obvious peaks of the output power when the resonator lengths are matched to the length of the pump source. The ZGP OPO can generate a maximum output power of 4.27 W at 3.80 μm signal and 4.45 μm idler when the resonator length matches that of the pump source.