High-energy diode-pumped picosecond multi-pass Nd:GdVO4 laser source for nonlinear optical spectroscopy

In this report, we demonstrate a simple laser source which is compact and has a broad tunability necessary for CARS spectroscopy/microscopy applications. The source is based on the Nd:GdVO
₄
high energy (up to 0.5 muJ per pulse) picosecond laser, from which a bright spectral continuum can be generated in a specially selected highly-doped GeO
₂
fiber. The pump power is from 30-W fiber-coupled laser diode array (LIMO) with the emission wavelength at 808.5 nm.