Abstract

We report a new difference frequency mixing optical architecture for the generation of coherent mid-infrared radiation at ~2.64 μm. A fiber pigtailed optically pumped semiconductor laser operating at 981 nm is mixed with an Er/Yb fiber amplified DFB diode laser at 1562 nm in a 19 mm long periodically poled lithium niobate crystal (PPLN). With respective powers of ~450mW by each of these pump lasers, spectrally stable, narrow linewidth mid-IR radiation of 0.25 mW is generated with a near Gaussian beam profile. Wavelength tuning characteristics and the sensitive spectroscopic detection of HF and HDO are reported.

© 2002 Optical Society of America