Enhanced intrapulse difference frequency generation in the mid-infrared by a spectrally dependent polarization state
Quentin Bournet, Florent Guichard, Michele Natile, Yoann Zaouter, M. Joffre, Adeline Bonvalet, Ioachim Pupeza, Christina Höfer, Frédéric Druon, Marc Hanna, Patrick Georges
Abstract
We present a technique to optimize the intrapulse difference frequency generation efficiency for mid-infrared generation. The approach employs a multi-order wave plate that is designed to selectively rotate the polarization state of the incoming spectral components on the relevant orthogonal axes for subsequent nonlinear interaction. We demonstrate a significant increase of the mid-infrared average power generated, of a factor ≥2.5 compared with the conventional scheme, owing to an optimally distributed number of photons enrolled in the difference frequency generation process.