Abstract

The nonlinear infrared materials silver thiogallate (AgGaS₂) and silver selenogallate (AgGaSe₂) have recently been grown in large-size high-optical-quality crystals which have allowed several significant demonstrations of nonlinear infrared frequency conversion. Both materials have been operated as tunable infrared parametric oscillators.^1,2 High efficiency second harmonic conversion of 10.6-μm radiation has been demonstrated in room temperature AgGaSe₂ using a low repetition rate pulsed CO₂ laser pump.³ Recent preliminary results have shown that bulk AgGaSe₂ has high average power capability.⁴ A few growth related problems remain to be resolved, such improvement of the surface damage threshold and dielectric coating performance and further reduction of scattering. With increased availability, these materials should find numerous applications in the generation of widely-tunable high-average-power coherent infrared radiation.

© 1986 Optical Society of America