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Tunable Mid-infrared ZnGeP2 RISTRA OPO pumped by periodically-poled Rb:KTP optical parametric master-oscillator power
G Stoeppler1, N Thilmann, V Pasiskevicius
1French–German Research Institute of Saint Louis ISL, 5 rue du Général Cassagnou, 68301 Saint-Louis, France. georg.stoeppler@isl.eu
Optics Express
|March 16, 2012
Summary
A novel mid-infrared laser system was developed for tunable radiation generation. This system demonstrates potential for minimally invasive surgery applications, achieving high peak power at 6.45 µm.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Laser Physics
- Nonlinear Optics
Background:
- Mid-infrared (MIR) radiation is crucial for various applications, including medical diagnostics and surgery.
- Developing efficient and tunable MIR sources remains a significant challenge in laser technology.
- Previous methods often lacked the required power, tunability, or compactness for widespread adoption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a compact, tunable, and high-power laser source in the mid-infrared region.
- To investigate the performance of a cascaded optical parametric oscillator (OPO) system for MIR generation.
- To assess the suitability of the generated MIR radiation for minimally invasive surgery.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a laser-diode pumped Q-switched single-frequency Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (MOPA) operating at 100 Hz.
- Employed a cascaded parametric arrangement involving a periodically-poled Rubidium-doped Potassium Titanyl Phosphate (Rb:KTiOPO4) degenerate parametric master-oscillator power amplifier.
- Pumped a Zinc Germanium Phosphide (ZnGeP2) nonplanar Ring-cavity Synchronously-Tuned Amplifier (RISTRA) Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) to generate tunable MIR radiation.
- Investigated the noncollinear tuning behavior of the ZnGeP2 RISTRA OPO.
Main Results:
- Successfully generated tunable mid-infrared radiation in the spectral range of 6.27 µm to 8.12 µm.
- Demonstrated a peak output power of 193 kW with 5 ns pulses at 6.45 µm.
- Elucidated the noncollinear tuning characteristics of the ZnGeP2 RISTRA OPO, providing insights into its operational parameters.
- Achieved high-power MIR generation suitable for specific surgical applications.
Conclusions:
- The developed laser system offers a promising tunable MIR source for advanced applications.
- The cascaded parametric approach with Rb:KTiOPO4 and ZnGeP2 is effective for generating high-power MIR radiation.
- The demonstrated performance at 6.45 µm indicates significant potential for minimally invasive surgery, particularly for tissue ablation or vaporization.
