Traveling wave CdSe optical parametric generator pumped by Er-laser pulses

Summary form only given. CdSe crystal has advantages of a wide transparency range, extremely low optical losses, the possibility of long crystals to be grown routinely, and a small birefringent walk-off. Recently, a CdSe optical parametric oscillator pumped by a 2.8-/spl mu/m Cr:Er:YSGG laser was reported, with a 39% quantum conversion efficiency and an idler beam tuning range of 8.5-12.3 /spl mu/m. Here, we report traveling wave (resonator-free) optical parametric generation for the first time in CdSe, where mid-IR pulses, continuously tunable in the range 8-13 /spl mu/m, with up to megawatt peak power were achieved. Such a device is of interest for molecular and solid-state spectroscopy.