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Title: Multi-wavelength injection seeded mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator for DIAL

Conference ·
OSTI ID:212703

We have constructed and fielded a multi-wavelength injection seeded mid-IR OPO source for DIAL. This OPO system was built for ground based remote sensing measurements of species with both broad (300 cm{sup -1}) and narrow absorption bandwidths (0.07 cm{sup -1} FWHM). The OPO utilizes a single frequency tunable diode laser for the injection seeded signal wavelength in the region from 6400 to 6700 cm{sup -1} and an angle phase-matched 5 cm LiNbO3 crystal to provide large tuning excursions on a slow time scale. The pump was a diode pumped Nd:YAG MOPA (9398 cm{sup -1}) running at 180 Hz. This pump source was repeatedly injection seeded with a different wavelength on each of film sequential shots forming a set of three pulses having wavelength separations on the order of 0.4 cm{sup -1} at a three color set repetition rate of 60 Hz. This combination of OPO signal and pump source produced a set of three time staggered idler wavelengths separated by 0.4 cm{sup -1} with the center wavelength tunable from 2700 to 3000 cm{sup -1}. This OPO system was used in field test experiments to detect the release of chemicals from a standoff distance of 3.3 Km. We present key OPO design criteria, performance data, and numerical simulations that agree with our observations of pump induced spectral impurities in the OPO output.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI ID:
212703
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JC-119950; CONF-960163-17; ON: DE96008714; TRN: 96:002433
Resource Relation:
Conference: Photonics West `96: conference on quantum well and superlattice physics VI, San Jose, CA (United States), 27 Jan - 2 Feb 1996; Other Information: PBD: 27 Jan 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English