Widely-tunable mid-infrared (2.6–5 μm) picosecond vortex laser

• Published in: Applied physics express Vol. 15; no. 10; pp. 102004 - 102007
• Main Authors: Jashaner, Dana, Zhou, Yuxia, Yusufu, Taximaiti
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.10.2022
• Subjects: nonlinear optics; optical parametric oscillator; optical vortices; picosecond laser
• ISSN: 1882-0778; 1882-0786
• DOI: 10.35848/1882-0786/ac92c1

Abstract We report on a widely-tunable mid-infrared picosecond optical vortex laser source that employs a synchronously-pumped optical parametric oscillator optimized for mid-infrared emission up to 5 μ m. Vortex output with a continuously-tunable wavelength range of 2.6–5 μ m could be obtained simply by translating the MgO:PPLN crystal. At the maximum pump power of 15 W, the maximum idler output powers were measured as 3.7, 1.7, and 0.165 W at the wavelengths of 2.6, 3.8, and 5 μ m, respectively. The corresponding photon conversion efficiencies were estimated to be 60% at 2.6 μ m, 40% at 3.8 μ m, and 5.2% at 5 μ m.