Abstract

Continuously tunable sources with room-temperature operation are required in the mid-infrared region for applications such as spectroscopy or pollutants monitoring. In this spectral range, optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) are more versatile than laser diodes, the tunability of which is limited to a few tens of nanometers. Recently, relatively compact OPOs have started to be available, but they often remain incompatible with the necessary portability out of research laboratories. The perspective of guided-wave OPOs is promising, because of the high efficiency granted by mode confinement. In this context, GaAs is a good alternative to popular LiNbO₃ thanks to its higher χ⁽²⁾, broader transparency range, and optoelectronic integrability.

© 2011 Optical Society of America