Highly Efficient Mid-Infrared Difference Frequency Generation Using a Quasi-Phase Matched Li NbO3 Ridge Waveguide

• Published in: Rēzā kenkyū Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 64 - 69
• Main Authors: TADANAGA, Osamu, YANAGAWA, Tsutomu, NISHIDA, Yoshiki, ASOBE, Masaki, SUZUKI, Hiroyuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Suita The Laser Society of Japan 15.02.2008; Laser Society of Japan
• Subjects: LiNbO3; Mid-infrared; Quasi-phase matching; Waveguide; Wavelength conversion
• ISSN: 0387-0200; 1349-6603
• DOI: 10.2184/lsj.36.2_64

A laser source in mid-infrared (IR) range is needed for gas sensing because this wavelength range includes a large number of fundamental absorption bands of various atmospheric pollutants. Difference frequency generation (DFG) using quasi-phase matched Li NbO3 (QPM-LN) waveguides are promising for these laser source.In this review, we describe DFG characteristics of fabricated QPM-LN waveguides using direct-bonding technique.We achieved 40 and 100 %/W conversion efficiency for 3.2 and 2.3μm generation, respectively. Then, we demonstrated CH4 gas and 12CO/13CO isotopomer measurement using these waveguides. We also describe wavelength conversion module using V-groove connection technique. Finally, we report compact sub-m W mid-IR laser source, which did not employ a fiber amplifier or a high power solid-state laser.