Paper
15 February 2012 3.0-μm wavelength-tunable compact light source with 805/1064-nm differential frequency generation using intracavity photon reuse and spectrum shaping techniques
Author Affiliations +
Abstract
Mid-infrared (mid-IR) light sources operating in the 3-μm waveband are useful photonic devices for the spectroscopic detection of trace gases and biomaterials. In order to achieve efficient mid-IR light emissions with a small footprint, we propose an attractive technique for developing a compact intracavity system that enables the reuse of the photons emitted by the pump source. Periodically poled congruent LiNbO3 (PPCLN) and Nd-YVO4 crystals were both set in the intracavity. An 805-nm waveband GaAs-based laser diode was used as the signal and pump light sources for differential frequency generation (DFG), since GaAs-based device technology enables the construction of high-power, highefficiency lasers operating in this waveband. We have successfully demonstrated that a 3-μm wavelength-tunable light source using the photon reuse technique is the most effective and compact intracavity system; it possesses useful broadband wavelength tunability characteristics up to approximately 90 nm and offers a small footprint (15 × 30 cm). We obtained high output power of the order of a few milliwatts from the developed light source. In addition, since the optical spectrum shape of the mid-IR light is also important, we propose a useful spectrum shaping technique using a Fabry-Perot (FP) etalon filter included in the intracavity system; we obtained a fine single-peak spectrum in the 3-μm waveband. The developed wavelength-tunable compact intracavity mid-IR light source using the photon reuse and spectrum shaping techniques is attractive for optical communications and biomedical applications.
© (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Naokatsu Yamamoto, Kouichi Akahane, Tetsuya Kawanishi, and Hideyuki Sotobayashi "3.0-μm wavelength-tunable compact light source with 805/1064-nm differential frequency generation using intracavity photon reuse and spectrum shaping techniques", Proc. SPIE 8235, Solid State Lasers XXI: Technology and Devices, 823504 (15 February 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.907580
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KEYWORDS
Mid-IR

Light sources

Crystals

Wavelength tuning

Fabry–Perot interferometers

Semiconductor lasers

Laser crystals

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