Efficient difference-frequency generation of 7- to 20-/spl mu/m radiation using CdGeAs/sub 2/

Summary form only given. We report difference-frequency generation for the first time in CdGeAs/sub 2/. Efficient, room-temperature generation of continuously tunable coherent output in the range 7-20 /spl mu/m was achieved. Such a device is of interest for a variety of applications including molecular and solid state spectroscopy, remote chemical sensing, biology, and medicine. The setup used for these experiments is shown using a for a pump source a double-pass traveling-wave optical parametric generator.