Source: http://aoot.osa.org/oe/abstract.cfm?uri=oe-27-6-9241
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 22:39:20+00:00

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A high-energy and tunable mid-infrared source based on BaGa4Se7 crystal was demonstrated by single-pass difference-frequency generation (DFG). Orthogonally polarized wave at 1064 nm (λ1) and tunable idler wave (λ2) generated by KTP-OPO, which could be tuned in the wavelength range of 1360–1600 nm, were used as the DFG dual-wavelength pump. The pump parameters including total pump energy and energy ratio were studied. Maximum pulse energy of 5.72 mJ at 3.58 μm was obtained at the dual-wavelength pump energy of 58.4 mJ/pulse. The wavelength tuning range was 3.36–4.27 μm with a flat tunability. Moreover, a saturation phenomenon of DFG output was observed and experimentally inferred to be related to the input energy of λ2 in the BaGa4Se7 crystal.
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Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of BaGa4Se7-DFG. The inset shows the photograph of BaGa4Se7 crystal.
Fig. 2 Temporal profile of λ1, λ2, and the combination of λ1 and λ2.
Fig. 3 Theoretical and experimental results of (a) energy and (b) conversion efficiency at 3.81μm.
Fig. 4 Theoretical and experimental results of (a) output energy, and (b) conversion efficiency at the total pump energy of 35 mJ/pulse with different energy ratio of 1064 nm and 1476 nm.
Fig. 5 (a) Input-output characteristics of λ1 at 3.81 μm at different pump energies. (b) Experimental and theoretical results of saturation phenomenon at fixed energy of λ1 at 40.8 mJ. The inset shows the experimental and theoretical results of conversion efficiency. (c) Transmission of λ1 (blue) and λ2 (red) at different input energies.
Fig. 6 (a) Tuning curve of the generated mid-infrared wave at the pump energy of 58.4 mJ/pulse. (b) Stability of the mid-infrared wave output for a 28 min duration.
Fig. 7 Diameters of generated mid-infrared beam at 3.81 μm in X and Y directions measured by the knife-edge method. The inset shows the beam distribution by knife-edge method.

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