Generation of broadband mid-infrared pulses from an optical parametric amplifier

We report on the direct generation of broadband mid-IR pulses from an optical parametric amplifier. Several crystals with extended IR transparency, when pumped at 800 nm, display a broad phase-matching bandwidth around 1 mu m, allowing for the generation of idler pulses spanning the 3-5 mu m wavelength range. Using LiIO3, we produce 2-mu J pulses tunable in the 3-4 mu m range with bandwidth supporting 30-fs transform-limited duration. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America