Picosecond laser for performance of efficient nonlinear spectroscopy from 10 to 21 µm

Laser tunability from 10 to 21 µm is obtained by use of an optical parametric oscillator based on a KTP crystal followed by a difference-frequency stage with a CdSe crystal. An all-solid-state picosecond Nd:YAG oscillator mode locked by a frequency-doubling nonlinear mirror is used for synchronous pumping.