High average power parametric wavelength conversion at 3.31–3.48 µm in MgO:PPLN

R. T. Murray, T. H. Runcorn, S. Guha, and J. R. Taylor

Abstract

We present results of high average power mid-infrared (mid-IR) generation employing synchronized nanosecond pulsed ytterbium and erbium fiber amplifier systems using periodically poled lithium niobate. We generate greater than 6 W of mid-IR radiation tunable in wavelength between 3.31–3.48 µm, at power conversion efficiencies exceeding 75%, with near diffraction limited beam quality (M2 = 1.4). Numerical modeling is used to verify the experimental results in differing pump depletion regimes.