High-efficiency, high-power difference-frequency generation at 2-4 µm in LiNbO3

High-efficiency generation of high-peak power and high-average power difference-frequency radiation, continuously tunable over the range of 2 to 4 μm, has been achieved by mixing the Nd:YAG laser radiation with the output of a near-infrared dye laser pumped by the second harmonic of the same Nd:YAG laser in LiNbO
3
. A peak power as high as 1.6 MW with an average power of 130 mW was obtained near 2.3 μm.