Ultra broadband mid-infrared frequency combs from transparent ZnSe ceramics
Abstract
Summary Ultra broadband frequency combs from transparent ZnSe ceramics. ZnSe is an infrared optical material with a remarkably wide transmission wavelength range of 0.45 ?m to 21 ?m. Much effort was invested in the last 40 years into the development of ZnSe transparent ceramics for high-power CO2 laser optics. Despite being isotropic on a macro scale, ZnSe ceramics can serve as an efficient nonlinear frequency converter due to the effect known as random phase matching. Randomly oriented grains in ZnSe ceramics all contribute to the nonlinear conversion process, but with random phases. The total contribution to the generated field is nonzero and there is a linear dependence of the frequency conversion yield with sample thickness. The goal of the proposed research is to produce optical quality ZnSe ceramics with the optimized and uniform grain size and use it as gain element in a subharmonic optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by an ultrafast Cr:ZnS laser. This OPO device will be the basis of a more than two-octaves-wide frequency comb suitable for mid-IR remote sensing. Ceramics for frequency conversion will remove many of the constraints imposed by conventional crystal-growth or periodically-poled structures and we envision that a concentrated effort on novel nonlinear optical ceramics will enable high-pulse energy and high-average power lasers as well as wavelength and pulse-length agility, a decisive functionality for the Navy’s next generation of laser sources. The proposed method may become a basis for practical laser device that uses inexpensive ZnSe ceramics and a compact laser pump. It will be indispensable for spectroscopic remote sensing. With a 2-3 octave wide comb it will be capable of detecting most factory explosives, IED’s, their explosive components, binders and plasticizers. It will combine multi-species snapshot detection, high spectral resolution and high detection sensitivity combined with high detection fidelity because of extremely broad spectral coverage.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 12, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141512659
Entities
People
- Konstantin L. Vodopyanov
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Central Florida