MULTIBAND GENERATION OF MID INFRARED BY USE OF PERIODICALLY POLED LITHIUM-NIOBATE

We report the generation of simultaneous multiband mid-infrared laser output by use of periodically polled lithium niobate pumped by the 1.5 4-mu m output from a KTP optical parametric oscillator. The multiband source is capable of producing three mid-infrared wavelengths ranging from 2.5 to 4 mu m. In initial experiments we obtained output powers o f 542 mW near 2.5 mu m and 453 mW near 4 mu m, with power conversion e fficiencies of 30% and 25%, respectively. To the best of our knowledge , this is the first demonstration of this kind in the literature. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America.