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Updated: Nov 12, 2025

Quantum State Engineering of Light with Continuous-wave Optical Parametric Oscillators
Published on: May 30, 2014
High-resolution, broadly-tunable mid-IR spectroscopy using a continuous wave optical parametric oscillator
Abstract:
We report on the design and automation of a mid-infrared, continuous wave, singly-resonant optical parametric oscillator. Hands-free controls and the implementation of a tuning algorithm allowed for hundreds of nanometers of continuous, effective-mode-hop-free tuning over the range of 2190-4000 nm. To demonstrate the applicability of this light source and algorithm to mid-IR spectroscopy, we performed a sample spectroscopy measurement in a C2H2 gas cell and compared the experimentally-measured absorption spectrum to HITRAN 2016 simulations. We found excellent agreement with simulation in both peak heights and peak centers; we also report a reduced uncertainty in peak centers compared to simulation.
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