초록 ▼

Laser diode pumped mid-IR wavelength systems include at least one high power, near-IR wavelength, injection and/or sources wherein one or both of such sources may be tunable providing a pump wave output beam to a quasi-phase matched (QPM) nonlinear frequency mixing (NFM) device. The NFM device may b

Laser diode pumped mid-IR wavelength systems include at least one high power, near-IR wavelength, injection and/or sources wherein one or both of such sources may be tunable providing a pump wave output beam to a quasi-phase matched (QPM) nonlinear frequency mixing (NFM) device. The NFM device may be a difference frequency mixing (DFM) device or an optical parametric oscillation (OPO) device. Wavelength tuning of at least one of the sources advantageously provides the ability for optimizing pump or injection wavelengths to match the QPM properties of the NFM device enabling a broad range of mid-IR wavelength selectivity. Also, pump powers are gain enhanced by the addition of a rare earth amplifier or oscillator, or a Raman/Brillouin amplifier or oscillator between the high power source and the NFM device. Further, polarization conversion using Raman or Brillouin wavelength shifting is provided to optimize frequency conversion efficiency in the NFM device.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A mid-IR tunable frequency system comprising:a first semiconductor gain source having a first tunable near-IR frequency range of about 780 nm to about 980 nm for providing a first near-IR frequency output within the first tunable range;means to tune said first semiconduct

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A mid-IR tunable frequency system comprising:a first semiconductor gain source having a first tunable near-IR frequency range of about 780 nm to about 980 nm for providing a first near-IR frequency output within the first tunable range;means to tune said first semiconductor gain source to a first near-IR frequency;a second semiconductor gain source having a second tunable near-IR frequency range of about 1,000 nm to about 1,150 nm for providing a second near-IR frequency output within the second tunable range;means to tune said second semiconductor gain source to a second near-IR frequency;means for optically combining said first and second near-IR frequency outputs; anda nonlinear frequency mixing device comprising a QPM nonlinear crystal coupled to receive said first and second combined outputs as an input and produce an output beam having an output frequency selectable within a mid-IR frequency range extending from about 2 .mu.m to about 5 .mu.m.