A broadly tunable mid-infrared laser system based on difference frequency generation in periodically poled lithium niobate

A room-temperature broadly tunable mid-infrared laser system based on quasi-phase-matched (QPM) difference frequency generation (DFG) in a periodically poled LiNbO
₃
(PPLN) crystal is developed. The continuous wave mid-infrared coherent radiation from 3.2 to 3.7 mum with a maximum output power of about 1 muW has been generated. Performance characteristics of the mid-infrared laser system has been carried out.