title: Energy-scalable pulsed mid-IR source using orientation-patterned GaAs.
abstract: Coherent mid-IR sources based on orientation-patterned GaAs (OPGaAs) are of significant interest in diverse scientific, medical, and military applications. The generation of long-wavelength mid-IR beams in OPGaAs using optical parametric oscillation exhibits limitations in the obtainable pulse energy and peak power. The master oscillator power amplifier concept is demonstrated in OPGaAs, by which a mid-IR source based on optical parametric oscillation can be scaled to high energy by amplification of the output of the optical parametric oscillator in an optical parametric amplifier (OPA). A fivefold increase in the pulse energy is obtained using this method by amplifying 3.85μm pulses in an OPGaAs OPA pumped by a Th,Ho:YLF Q-switched laser.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA. dfrench@psu.edu
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: French
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jovanovic
mesh_terms: D000669:Amplifiers, Electronic; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005708:Gallium / Q000737:chemistry*; D007259:Infrared Rays; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D009991:Oscillometry
chemical_list: D001152:Arsenicals; C043055:gallium arsenide; D005708:Gallium