Optical probes of orientation-patterned ZnSe quasi-phase-matched devices

Orientation-patterned zinc selenide (OPZnSe) is a unique quasi-phase-matched nonlinear optical material for enabling frequency conversion from visible to long-wave infrared wavelengths. We have fabricated and tested OPZnSe devices over a wide spectral range. Single crystal OPZnSe films of greater than 1 mm thickness were grown and characterized for optical loss showing an attenuation coefficient less than 0.05 cm-1 from 1 to 12 μm. We demonstrated nonlinear frequency conversion in the near infrared, mid-infrared, and long-wave infrared in these devices through a variety of nonlinear mixing processes.© (2008) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.