Abstract

We present a scheme to produce programmable phase- and amplitude-modulated femtosecond laser pulses in the mid-infrared regime of $3–10 \mathit{\mu }\mathrm{m}$ by difference frequency mixing. The 80-fs signal output of an optical parametric amplifier is shaped with a liquid-crystal mask and mixed in an ${\mathrm{AgGaS}}_2$ crystal with a temporally stretched idler pulse. Without changing the mechanical alignment, we produce programmable amplitude modulations and chirped pulses at $\lambda =3 \mathit{\mu }\mathrm{m}$ with energy as high has thas $1 \mathit{\mu }\mathrm{J}$. This scheme, further, allows the generation of controllable pulse sequences. The results are in good agreement with theoretical simulations.

© 2002 Optical Society of America

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