title: Single-mode, tunable output from a midwave-infrared-seeded optical parametric oscillator system.
abstract: We have built a coupled master oscillator and a slave oscillator optical parametric oscillator (OPO) system that provides single-frequency, pulsed radiation in the midwave infrared (MWIR). The direct-diode-pumped master OPO provided narrow-band (<6-MHz, instrument-limited), tunable MWIR cw radiation that was used to seed a higher-peak-power pulsed slave OPO. When seeded directly at the MWIR idler, the pulsed output of the slave OPO was constrained to oscillate on a single longitudinal mode even though the slave OPO is pumped by a multilongitudinal-mode laser source. The linewidth of the pulsed output has been measured to be <220 MHz (instrument limited), which is well suited for coherent differential absorption lidar applications.
authors.affiliation: Coherent Technologies, Incorporated, Boulder, Colorado 80306, USA. john@ctilidar.com
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Marquardt
authors.forename: Ross W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Mackes
authors.forename: Duane D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Smith