Highly efficient stimulated Raman scattering of sub-picosecond laser pulses in BaWO₄ for 10.6  µm difference...

Transient stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) of 0.3 ps 515 nm laser pulses in ${\rm BaWO_4}$BaWO₄ crystal was experimentally demonstrated with efficiency up to ${\sim}{20}\% $∼20% for the Stokes component with a wavenumber of ${\sim}{925}\;{{\rm cm}^{ - 1}}$∼925cm^-1 in a simple single-pass geometry. This anomalous high efficiency was obtained due to the laser pulse self-phase modulation resulting in spectral broadening and seeding the SRS. The applicability of seed pulse production for a high-pressure sub-picosecond ${{\rm CO}_2}$CO₂ laser amplifier via difference frequency generation in ${{\rm LiGaS}_2}$LiGaS₂ crystal was numerically verified.