Tunable Difference Frequency Generation Research Articles

6.7-8.1 μm tunable single frequency difference frequency generation in ZGP for high-resolution spectroscopy

6.7-8.1 μm tunable single frequency difference frequency generation in ZGP for high-resolution spectroscopy

Extending mid-infrared wavelength to 6.84 μm in oxide nonlinear optical crystal via birefringence dispersion management.

Extending lasing wavelengths to the mid-infrared (MIR) spectrum is vital for both civilian and military applications; however, it remains challenging when employing oxide nonlinear optical crystals. In this study, we report the generation of MIR nanosecond pulses via difference frequency generation (DFG) with a near-IR pump using a newly designed langasite (LGS) crystal, La3(Nb0.6Ta0.4)0.5Ga5.5O14 (LGNT0.4), which incorporates birefringence dispersion management techniques with La3Ga5.5Nb0.5O14 (LGN) as a template. Due to the improved effective nonlinear coefficients and the maintained IR cutoff relative to LGN, the tunable DFG laser in LGNT0.4 extended from 4.24 to 6.84 μm, delivering a maximum pulse energy of 16.3 μJ at 5.02 μm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first known oxide material capable of generating tunable nanosecond pulsed lasers beyond 6 μm at μJ-level energies, demonstrating promising potential for high-intensity MIR laser systems owing to its high laser damage threshold.

Widely tunable long-wave infrared difference frequency generation with a BaGa4Se7 crystal.

We report an experimental study of long-wave infrared difference frequency generation based on BaGa4Se7 crystal. The sources of two input wavelengths were the fundamental output of a Nd:YAG laser and its second-harmonic pumped ∼1.2µmKTiOPO4 optical parametric oscillator. A wide tuning range of 7.9-17.5 µm (>1.14 octave) was achieved, which reached the upper limit of the BaGa4Se7 transparency region. The spectra and pulse widths, input-output relationship, beam profile, wavelength tolerance, and angular acceptance of the phase-matching were characterized in detail. This presented coherent source can potentially be applied in multiple gas analyses and spectral imaging.

Tunable dual-comb spectrometer for mid-infrared trace gas analysis from 3 to 4.7 µm.

Dual-frequency comb spectroscopy has emerged as a disruptive technique for measuring wide-spanning spectra with high resolution, yielding a particularly powerful technique for sensitive multi-component gas analysis. We present a spectrometer based on two electro-optical combs with subsequent conversion to the mid-infrared via tunable difference frequency generation, operating in the range from 3 to 4.7 µm. The repetition rate of the combs can be tuned from 250 to 500 MHz. For 500 MHz, the number of detected comb modes is 440 with a signal-to-noise ratio exceeding 105 in 1 s. The conversion preserves the coherence of the combs within 3 s measurement time. Concentration measurements of 5 ppm methane at 3.3 µm, 100 ppm nitrous oxide at 3.9 µm and a mixture of 15 ppm carbon monoxide and 5% carbon dioxide at 4.5 µm are demonstrated with a noise-equivalent absorption coefficient of 6.4(3) x 10-6 cm-1 Hz-1/2.

Mid-infrared pulsed nanosecond difference frequency generation of oxide LGN crystal up to 5.7 µm.

We demonstrate the tunable difference frequency generation (DFG) of an oxide La3Ga5.5Nb0.5O14 (LGN) crystal pumped by near-infrared lasers with nanosecond pulses for the first time to our knowledge. The type I and II phase-matching conditions of DFG were calculated in the mid-infrared region. With the processed LGN crystals, tunable lasers in the wavelength range from 4.4 to 5.7 µm and 4.56 to 5.6 µm were achieved under type II and I phase-matching conditions, respectively, with the maximum output energy of 13.1 µJ, which agreed well with the theoretical calculation. This work provides the kind of promising mid-infrared nonlinear crystals for the pumping of nanosecond pulsed lasers as well as a tunable mid-infrared laser source at a wavelength over 5 µm in further photonic applications.

Mid-infrared saturated absorption spectroscopy inside a hollow glass waveguide

We report the saturation spectroscopy of carbon dioxide inside a hollow glass waveguide (GW) using a tunable mid-infrared difference frequency generation (DFG) source. This DFG source was generated in a periodically poled lithium niobate crystal with a tuning range from 3.97 to 4.71μm. Saturated spectroscopy was performed on the R(60) transition of CO20001 ← 0000 band at 4.2μm inside a hollow GW of diameter 300μm and length 1 m. The saturation dip signal was found with a pump power as low as 0.18 mW inside the hollow GW. The linewidth of the dip was determined to be 4.40 MHz.

InGaAs quantum well based dual-wavelength external cavity surface emitting laser for wideband tunable mid-infrared difference frequency generation

A two-chip vertical external cavity surface emitting laser with dual- wavelength output is presented. The active region of gain chip 1, designed for 960 nm wavelength, is composed of 6 repeats of strain uncompensated In0.185Ga0.815As/ GaAs multiple quantum wells, and the active region of gain chip 2, targeted for 1100 nm emission, is consisted of 16 repeats of strain compensated In0.26Ga0.74As/ GaAs0.94P0.06 multiple quantum wells. Two 1 mm thick uncoated fused silica birefringent filters are employed as the tuning elements, and the shorter wavelength can be tuned between 949 and 957 nm, while the longer wavelength can be changed from 1071 to 1106 nm by rotating the filters. The total intracavity power under dual-wavelength operation exceeds 36 W when the pump power is 10.5 W. For the use of intracavity different frequency generation, the wavelength tunability of down-converted mid-infrared radiation can cover a wavelength range from 6.7 to 9.0 µm.

Tunable terahertz wave difference frequency generation in a graphene/AlGaAs surface plasmon waveguide

Graphene-based surface plasmon waveguides (SPWs) show high confinement well beyond the diffraction limit at terahertz frequencies. By combining a graphene SPW and nonlinear material, we propose a novel graphene/AlGaAs SPW structure for terahertz wave difference frequency generation (DFG) under near-infrared pumps. The composite waveguide, which supports single-mode operation at terahertz frequencies and guides two pumps by a high-index-contrast AlGaAs/AlOx structure, can confine terahertz waves tightly and realize good mode field overlap of three waves. The phase-matching condition is satisfied via artificial birefringence in an AlGaAs/AlOx waveguide together with the tunability of graphene, and the phase-matching terahertz wave frequency varies from 4 to 7 THz when the Fermi energy level of graphene changes from 0.848 to 2.456 eV. Based on the coupled-mode theory, we investigate the power-normalized conversion efficiency for the tunable terahertz wave DFG process by using the finite difference method under continuous wave pumps, where the tunable bandwidth can reach 2 THz with considerable conversion efficiency. To exploit the high peak powers of pulses, we also discuss optical pulse evolutions for pulse-pumped terahertz wave DFG processes.

High-average-power, high-repetition-rate tunable terahertz difference frequency generation with GaSe crystal pumped by 2 μm dual-wavelength intracavity KTP optical parametric oscillator

We have demonstrated a high-average-power, high-repetition-rate optical terahertz (THz) source based on difference frequency generation (DFG) in the GaSe crystal by using a near-degenerate 2 μm intracavity KTP optical parametric oscillator as the pump source. The power of the 2 μm dual-wavelength laser was up to 12.33 W with continuous tuning ranges of 1988.0–2196.2 nm/2278.4–2065.6 nm for two waves. Different GaSe cystal lengths have been experimentally investigated for the DFG THz source in order to optimize the THz output power, which was in good agreement with the theoretical analysis. Based on an 8 mm long GaSe crystal, the THz wave was continuously tuned from 0.21 to 3 THz. The maximum THz average power of 1.66 μW was obtained at repetition rate of 10 kHz under 1.48 THz. The single pulse energy amounted to 166 pJ and the conversion efficiency from 2 μm laser to THz output was 1.68×10−6. The signal-to-noise ratio of the detected THz voltage was 23 dB. The acceptance angle of DFG in the GaSe crystal was measured to be 0.16°.

Widely tunable and monochromatic terahertz difference frequency generation with organic crystal 2-(3-(4-hydroxystyryl)-5,5-dime-thylcyclohex-2-enylidene) malononitrile

We report an experimental study on widely tunable terahertz (THz) wave difference frequency generation (DFG) with hydrogen-bonded crystals 2-(3-(4-hydroxystyryl)-5,5-dime-thylcyclohex-2-enylidene) malononitrile (OH1). The organic crystals were pumped by a ∼1.3 μm double-pass KTiOPO4 optical parametric oscillator. A tuning range of 0.02–20 THz was achieved. OH1 crystals offer a long effective interaction length (also high output) for the generation below 3 THz, owing to the low absorption and favorable phase-matching. The highest energy of 507 nJ/pulse was generated at 1.92 THz with a 1.89-mm-thick crystal. Comprehensive explanations were provided, on the basis of theoretical calculations. Cascading phenomenon during the DFG process was demonstrated. The photon conversion efficiency could reach 2.9%.

Widely tunable and monochromatic terahertz difference frequency generation with organic crystal DSTMS

Widely tunable and monochromatic terahertz (THz) difference frequency generation with organic crystal DSTMS was investigated experimentally. A double-pass KTiOPO4 optical parametric oscillator, pumped by a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser, was employed as the source of dual wavelength. The THz tuning spectrum covered a range of 0.88−19.27 THz. The dependence of the THz output on the crystal thickness and pump wavelength was studied. The results were well explained based on theoretical calculations. With a pump energy of 2.47 mJ, the output energy reached 85.3 nJ/pulse at 3.80 THz, which corresponded to a peak power of 17.9 W and photon conversion efficiency of .

Mid-IR dual-wavelength difference frequency generation in uniform grating PPLN using index dispersion control

A novel widely tunable dual-wavelength mid-IR difference frequency generation (DFG) scheme with uniform grating periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) is presented in this paper. By using the temperature-dependent dispersion property of PPLN, the quasi-phase matching (QPM) peak for the pump may evolve into two separate ones and the wavelength spacing between them increases with the decrease of the crystal temperature. Such two pump QPM peaks may allow simultaneous dual-wavelength mid-IR laser radiations while properly setting the two fundamental pump wavelengths. With this scheme, mid-IR dual-wavelength laser radiations at around 3.228 and 3.548, 3.114 and 3.661, and 3.019 and 3.76 μm, are experimentally achieved for the crystal temperatures of 90, 65, and 30 °C, respectively, based on the fiber laser fundamental lights.

Widely tunable difference frequency generation source for high-precision mid-infrared spectroscopy

We have developed a widely tunable mid-infrared difference frequency generation (DFG) source by mixing ~ 1 W Ti:sapphire laser and 6 W Nd:YAG laser beams in a 50-mm MgO-doped long periodically poled lithium niobate (MgO:PPLN). The power of the DFG source is > 2 mW over the tuning range of 2.66-4.77 μm and its free-running linewidth is about 100 kHz. Combining various frequency stabilisation schemes for the Nd:YAG laser and the Ti:sapphire laser, the DFG frequency can be precisely controlled. Besides, its frequency can be determined better than 12 kHz by measuring the Ti:sapphire laser frequency using an optical frequency comb. Two high resolution spectroscopic studies on (12)C(16)O(2) molecule are demonstrated using this DFG source. The saturation spectra of R(18) and R(60) transitions of 00(0)1 ← 00(0)0 fundamental band at 4.2 μm and P(20) transition of [10(0)1, 02(0)1](I) ← 00(0)0 band at 2.7 μm have been observed and their absolute transition frequencies are measured with an accuracy better than 30 kHz.

Erratum: Hyperfine-resolved 3.4-μm spectroscopy of CH3I with a widely tunable difference frequency generation source and a cavity-enhanced cell: A case study of a local Coriolis interaction between thev1=1and(v2,v6l)=(1,22)states [Phys. Rev. A83, 012505 (2011)

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基于PPLN温度渐变控制的宽调谐中红外差频产生激光光源

基于PPLN温度渐变控制的宽调谐中红外差频产生激光光源

Widely tunable midinfrared difference frequency generation in orientation-patterned GaAs pumped with a femtosecond Tm-fiber system

We demonstrate a midinfrared source tunable from 6.7 to 12.7 μm via difference frequency generation (DFG) in orientation-patterned GaAs, with 1.3 mW average output power. The input pulses are generated via Raman self-frequency shift of a femtosecond Tm-doped-fiber laser system in a fluoride fiber. We numerically model the DFG process and show good agreement between simulations and experiments. We use this numerical model to show an improved design using longer pump pulses.

Widely tunable difference frequency generation around 3.4 μm using index dispersion property of PPLN

In this paper, the wide difference frequency generation (DFG) tuning characteristics around 3.4 μm are investigated by using the index dispersion property of PPLN. With a ytterbium doped fiber laser (YDFL) and an erbium doped fiber laser (EDFL) as the fundamental light sources, our simulation results show that the quasi-phase matching (QPM) wavelength acceptance bandwidth (BW) for the pump is much larger than that for the signal. Although the positions of the broadened QPM pump bands vary with the poling period and the signal wavelength, the corresponding idler tuning ranges center around 3.4 μm. With a signal wavelength of 1.57 μm, an idler tuning range of greater than 170 nm is experimentally obtained in the 30 uniform grating PPLN. When the signal wavelength and the poling period are respectively changed to 1.55 and 29.50 μm, wide DFG tuning operations around 3.4 μm are also achieved with the crystal temperature adjusted to adapt the change.

Optical frequency conversion in integrated devices [Invited

We review our recent progresses on frequency conversion in integrated devices, focusing primarily on experiments based on strip-loaded and quantum-well intermixed AlGaAs waveguides, and on CMOS-compatible high-index doped silica glass waveguides. The former includes both second- and third-order interactions, demonstrating wavelength conversion by tunable difference-frequency generation over a bandwidth of more than nm, as well as broadband self-phase modulation and tunable four-wave mixing. The latter includes four-wave mixing using low-power continuous-wave light in microring resonators as well as hyper-parametric oscillation in a high quality factor resonator, towards the realization of an integrated multiple wavelength source with important applications for telecommunications, spectroscopy, and metrology.

Hyperfine-resolved 3.4-μm spectroscopy of CH3I with a widely tunable difference frequency generation source and a cavity-enhanced cell: A case study of a local Coriolis interaction between thev1=1and(v2,v6l)=(1,22)states

Saturated absorption spectra of the ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{1}$ fundamental band of CH${}_{3}$I are recorded with a cavity-enhanced cell and a tunable difference frequency generation source having an 86-cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ range. The recorded spectral lines are 250 kHz wide, and most of them are resolved into the individual hyperfine components. The Coriolis interaction between the ${v}_{1}=1$ and $({v}_{2},{v}_{6}^{l})=(1,{2}^{2})$ states locally perturbing the hyperfine structures is analyzed to yield the Coriolis and hyperfine coupling constants with uncertainties similar to those in typical microwave spectroscopy. The spectrometer has demonstrated the potential for precisely determining the energy structure in the vibrational excited states.

宽调谐中红外差频激光及大气水汽浓度探测

宽调谐中红外差频激光及大气水汽浓度探测