High-power broadly tunable difference-frequency generation in proustite

Abstract
High‐power wavelength‐tunable coherent radiation has been produced by generating the difference frequency between the output from a tunable narrow‐linewidth ruby‐pumped infrared dye laser and a Q‐switched ruby laser in a proustite crystal. Peak infrared powers in the kilowatt range and wavelength tunability from 3.20 to 5.65 μ have been achieved. The experimentally determined infrared power tuning curves are compared to those predicted by theory for interacting Gaussian light beams.