High power, tunable hybrid fiber/bulk laser at 1030 nm and parametric frequency conversion in the near and mid-infrared

We report on a high power, wavelength-agile, hybrid fiber-bulk laser, emitting up to 3.5 mJ 15 ns pulses at 1030 nm 5 kHz repetition rate. This laser is composed of commercial seed single-frequency fiber tunable over several GHz, amplified in dual-stage single-mode Ytterbium doped amplifier, followed by two Yb:YAG solid crystal amplifiers. To illustrate the potential such an architecture for future differential absorption lidar emitters, this source was used pump optical parametric amplifier (OPA) seeded idler 3 $$\upmu$$ m generated fixed nested cavity oscillator (NesCOPO). The wavelength agility transferred OPA signal beam reach fine tunability 1.5 region. tuning measure transmission spectrum acetylene gas cell.