Progress in 1-μm Pumped Mid-IR Optical Parametric Oscillators Based on Non-Oxide Nonlinear Crystals

Abstract

Pumping mid-IR optical parametric oscillators near 1 µm is attractive for its simplicity and power scaling capability. To this aim, wide band-gap non-oxide nonlinear crystals are needed. This paper reviews the recent developments in crystal growth and singly resonant optical parametric oscillators for generation of high single pulse energy and average powers in the mid-IR from 3 to 10 µm.Index Terms-mid-infrared spectral range, optical parametric oscillators, non-oxide nonlinear crystals, nanosecond pulses, high energy and average power 1077-260X (c)

Non‐Linear Optical Properties of the (RE)3CuGeS7 Family of Compounds

“…[1,2] Optimal design of a material suitable for NLO applications entails fulfillment of a set of requirements: the material has to crystallize in a non-centrosymmetric space group, it should be possible to synthesize it in bulk quantities (ideally as large crystals) and as admixture-free as possible, and it must have an appropriate band gap. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Furthermore, phase matchability and a good combination of laser-induced damage threshold (LDT) and second-harmonic generation (SHG) properties are required.…”

Hg3P2S8: A New Promising Infrared Nonlinear Optical Material with a Large Second-Harmonic Generation and a High Laser-Induced Damage Threshold

“…Nonlinear optical (NLO) materials are critical components of all-solid-state lasers for the development of new laser light sources by frequency-conversion technology. − Over the past decades, significant progress has been achieved in the ultraviolet (UV) and visible regions, and a great number of oxide-based NLO crystals with excellent optical properties have been developed, such as KBe 2 BO 3 F 2 , β-BaB 2 O 4 , LiB 3 O 5 , LiNbO 3 , KH 2 OPO 4 , and KTiOPO 4 . Meanwhile, in the mid-IR to far-IR regions, the development of NLO materials is limited and only a few chalcopyrite-like candidates including AgGaS 2 (AGS), AgGaSe 2 (AGSe), and ZnGeP 2 (ZGP) are commercially available in these regions.…”

Recent studies of nonlinear chalcogenide crystals for the mid-IR

“…The choice is particularly difficult when designing new, suitable NLO materials for the IR region that should simultaneously possess high nonlinear efficiency and laser damage threshold combined with a large band-gap value. The latter provides low two-photon absorption (TPA), when powerful commercial lasers operating in the near-IR are used for pumping [5,6]. The most promising materials are chalcogenide crystals [7].…”