Continuously tunable wideband coherent infrared source

Patent 4200808 Issued on April 29, 1980. Estimated Expiration Date:

January 30, 1998. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Pulsed infrared difference frequency generation in CdGeAs₂ Patent #: 4011462
Issued on: 03/08/1977
Inventor: Piltch , et al.

Inventor

Herbst, Richard L.

Application

No. 05/873205 filed on 01/30/1978

US Classes:

359/329, Third harmonic359/328Harmonic generator

Examiners

Primary: Rolinec, Rudolph V.
Assistant: Hostetter, Darwin R.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

International Class

G02F 1/35 (20060101)

Abstract

Output coherent infrared radiation is obtained in a continuously tunable band from 1.4 microns to 25 microns and longer wavelengths. The 1.06 micron output of a Nd:YAG laser, or a harmonic thereof, is difference mixed in a nonlinear crystal, as of LiIO3 or LiNbO3 with a synchronously pumped output of a tunable dye laser oscillator to produce a first tunable output over the range of 0.7 micron to 5.0 microns. The output of the crystal mixer is amplified or difference mixed in a second nonlinear crystal mixer with the 1.06 pump output to produce an output tunable over the range of 1.4 microns to 25 microns and longer wavelengths. Suitable second crystal mixers comprise LiNbO3 for the range of 1.4 to 4.4 microns and operable as an amplifier in the range of 1.4 microns to 2.1 microns, and as a difference mixer in the range of 2.1 to 4.4 microns, AgGaS2 in the range of 4 microns to 12 microns and operating as a difference mixer, and CdSe operating as a difference mixer for the range of 12 microns to 25 microns.