High-energy, broadly tunable, narrow-bandwidth mid-infrared optical parametric system pumped by quasi-phase-matched devices

We have developed a tunable, narrow-bandwidth (< 2 cm(-1)) mid-infrared (MIR) optical parametric system with a large-aperture periodically poled Mg-doped LiNbO3 (LA-PPMgLN)-based high-energy pump source. The system has a continuously tunable tuning range from 4.6 to 11.2 mu m and produces a maximum output energy of 2.0 mJ at 5.1 mu m. Practical use of the MIR source is demonstrated by MIR-UV double-resonance spectroscopy of jet-cooled acetanilide. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America.