Advances in growth of the birefringent crystals ZnGeP2 and CdSiP2, as well all-epitaxial processing orientation-patterned semiconductors GaAs (OP-GaAs) GaP (OP-GaP), are extending solid-state laser output deep into mid-infrared. These materials exhibit highest nonlinear coefficients broadest infrared transparency ranges among all practical optical crystals. In this review paper we describe attractive properties these materials, along with unique capabilities novel crystal that continue to...

We present a novel all-fiber pumped optical parametric chirped pulse amplifier (OPCPA) architecture to generate self-carrier-to-envelope-phase stable, sub-eight-optical-cycle duration pulses at 7 μm wavelength approaching millijoule-level energy 100 Hz repetition rate. The system yields peak power of 1.1 GW and, if focused the diffraction limit, would reach intensity 7×1014  W/cm2. OPCPA is by 2 Ho:YLF leverage highly efficient and broadband response nonlinear crystal ZGP. seed MHz generated...

Abstract High-energy phase-stable sub-cycle mid-infrared pulses can provide unique opportunities to explore phase-sensitive strong-field light–matter interactions in atoms, molecules and solids. At the wavelength, Keldysh parameter could be much smaller than unity even at relatively modest laser intensities, enabling study of electron dynamics solids without damage. Here we report a high-energy pulse synthesiser based on optical parametric amplifier its application high-harmonic generation...

We have demonstrated what we believe to be the first mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped directly by a pulsed Tm-doped fiber laser. The Tm-fiber pump laser produces 30 ns pulses with repetition rate of kHz at wavelength 2 microm. ZnGeP2 (ZGP) OPO 20 mid-IR in 3.4-3.9 microm and 4.1-4.7 spectral regions simultaneously. More than 658 mW output power has been generated total slope efficiency greater 35%.

One-micrometer wavelength ultrafast laser emission is transformed to a powerful tool for ultrabroadband mid-infrared spectroscopy.

Femtosecond laser sources and optical frequency combs in the molecular fingerprint region of electromagnetic spectrum are crucial for a plethora applications natural life sciences. Here we introduce Cr2+-based lasers as convenient means producing super-octave mid-IR transients via rectification (or intra-pulse difference generation, IDFG). We demonstrate that relatively long, 2.5 μm, central wavelength few-cycle Cr2+:ZnS driving source (20 fs pulse duration, 6 W average power, 78 MHz...

The study of metal-insulator transition (MIT) in VO2 thin films synthesized by means rf sputtering from a target is presented. A comparison with conventional reactive V also given. Detailed x-ray diffraction analysis, electrical resistance switching, and infrared optical reflectance measurements confirm that our technique yields high-quality films. We discuss depth how synthesis conditions affect MIT parameters derived temperature dependence resistance. Sharp observed sputtered on...

A mid-infrared (mid-IR) optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) system generating few-cycle pulses with multi-gigawatt peak power at a 1 kHz repetition rate is reported. The pumped by highly stable 2 μm picosecond amplifier based on Ho:YLF gain media to exploit the high nonlinearity of ZnGeP2 (ZGP) crystals for amplification. ZGP (OPA) characterized conversion efficiency >10 %, resulting in 1.3 mJ idler center wavelength 5.1 μm. Employing dispersion management scheme only bulk...

We present a state-of-the-art compact high-energy mid-infrared (mid-IR) laser system for TW-level eight-cycle pulses at 7 μm. This consists of an Er:Tm:Ho:fiber MOPA which serves as the seeder ZGP-based optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) chain, in addition to Ho:YLF amplifier is Tm:fiber pumped. Featuring all-optical synchronization, delivers 260 mJ pump energy 2052 nm and 16 ps duration 100 Hz with stability 0.8% rms over 20 min. show that chirp inversion OPCPA chain...

We describe a compact and efficient mid-infrared (mid-IR) source based on zinc germanium phosphide (ZGP) cadmium silicon (CSP) optical parametric oscillators (OPOs), operating in near degenerate condition, directly pumped by 1.94 μm thulium (Tm)-doped yttrium-aluminum-perovskite (YAP) laser. The Tm:YAP laser is passively Q-switched chromium-doped sulfide saturable absorber, operated to 4 W average power with peak of 29 kW. emission was used pump CSP ZGP doubly resonant linear OPO cavities,...

A table-top midwave-infrared optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) system generates few-cycle pulses with multi-10 GW peak power at a 1 kHz repetition rate. The all-optically synchronized utilizes ZnGeP2 nonlinear crystals and highly stable 2 µm picosecond pump laser based on Ho:YLiF4. An excellent energy extraction is achieved by reusing the after third stage, resulting in 3.4 mJ idler center wavelength of 4.9 µm. Pulses as short 89.4 fs are achieved, close to only five...

CdSiP(2) is employed in a nanosecond, 90 degrees -phase-matched, singly resonant optical parametric oscillator pumped at 1064 nm to produce idler pulses near 6.2 microm with an energy as high 470 microJ 10 Hz.

We report a tunable, high-energy, single-pass optical parametric generator (OPG) based on the nonlinear material, cadmium silicon phosphide, CdSiP(2). The OPG is pumped by cavity-dumped, passively mode-locked, diode-pumped Nd:YAG oscillator, providing 25 µJ pulses in 20 ps at 5 Hz. pump energy further boosted flashlamp-pumped amplifier to 2.5 mJ. temperature tunable over 1263-1286 nm (23 nm) signal and 6153-6731 (578 idler. Using configuration, we have generated pulse as high 636 1283 nm,...

We report a femtosecond optical parametric oscillator (OPO) for the mid-infrared (mid-IR), generating record average power of 110 mW at 7 μm. The OPO, based on CdSiP(2) (CSP) as nonlinear crystal, provides idler wavelength tuning across 6540-7186 nm with spectral bandwidths >400 -10 dB level over entire range, and maximum bandwidth 478 6.9 To best our knowledge, this is highest generated from OPO in deep mid-IR. also near-IR signal wavelengths tunable 1204-1212 usable 450 418-fs pulses 1207...

We describe the evolution of ultrafast optical parametric sources for mid-infrared (mid-IR) based on new birefringent nonlinear crystal, cadmium silicon phosphide, CdSiP2, using well-established Nd-based solid-state and Yb-based fiber pump lasers near 1 μm. Optical generators oscillators (OPOs) providing high-energy picosecond pulses, as well high-repetition-rate femtosecond at high average powers across 6–7 μm spectral range in mid-IR are described detail. Studies viable laser technologies...

The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of single-crystal zinc germanium phosphide (ZGP), ZnGeP2, was increased to 2J/cm2 at 2.05μm and a 10 kHz pulse rate frequency (double the previously measured value 1 J/cm2). This LIDT achieved by improving polishing ZGP optical parametric oscillator crystals. Two different techniques were evaluated. Surfaces characterized using scanning white-light interferometry determine rms surface roughness sample flatness. photon backscatter technique used...

The new nonlinear crystal for the mid-IR CdSiP₂ was discovered only very recently but interest in this chalcopyrite is enormous because it possesses most of attractive properties related ZnGeP₂ allows addition pumping at 1064 nm without two-photon absorption and uncritical phase-matching 6 μm generation with maximized effective nonlinearity. last feature due to fact that negative uniaxial contrast which shows positive birefringence. We now measured its coefficient...

We report the first, to best of our knowledge, femtosecond-laser-pumped optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on newly developed nonlinear crystal, CdSiP2. The OPO was synchronously pumped by a mode-locked Yb:KYW/Yb:fiber master-oscillator power amplifier, providing 1.053 μm pump pulses with durations 130 fs at repetition rate 100 MHz. 0.5-mm-thick CdSiP2 crystal cut for type-I noncritical interaction, broad phase-matching bandwidth and ensuring excellent temporal overlap among pump,...

We report on the generation of a 2500 nm bandwidth frequency comb at 6.5 μm central wavelength based critically phase-matched parametric down-conversion in nonlinear crystal CdSiP(2) (CSP), driven by compact Er,Tm:Ho fiber laser. The generated ultra-broadband pulses show transform-limited duration 2.3 optical cycles and carry up to 150 pJ energy 100 MHz pulse repetition rate. For comparison, spectrum AgGaS(2) (AGS) spans from 6.2 7.4 full-width half-maximum (FWHM) with 3 pJ. A full 3D wave...

Optical rectification of near-infrared laser pulses generates broadband terahertz radiation in chalcopyrite crystals CdGeP2, ZnGeP2 and CdSiP2. The emission is characterized using linear-polarized excitation from 0.8 eV to 1.55 (1550 nm - 800 nm). All three are (110)-cut polished 0.5 mm, thinner than the coherence length across most photon energy range, such that they all produce a bandwidth ~2.5 THz when excited with ~100 fs pulses. It found CdGeP2 produced strongest at telecoms...