High efficiency and high energy parametric wavelength conversion using a large aperture periodically poled MgO:LiNbO3

We have demonstrated an efficient high energy 2 μm laser generation with a 36 mm long large aperture 5 mol% MgO-doped periodically poled LiNbO3 (PPMgLN) nonlinear optical crystal. A high power Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (1.064 μm) was used to pump the quasi-phase matched (QPM) optical parametric oscillator (OPO). A total output energy of 186 mJ with 58% slope efficiency was obtained in two separate beams at 2 μm.