Methods of generating laser outputs based on different states of laser inputs …

Description (excerpt)

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This Application is a Nonprovisional Utility Patent Application and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. Sec. 119 based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/532,996 filed on Aug. 16, 2023. The disclosure of Provisional Application No. 63/532,996 and all references cited herein are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference into the present disclosure. FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT The United States Government has ownership rights in this invention. Licensing inquiries may be directed to Office of Technology Transfer, US Naval Research Laboratory, Code 1004, Washington, D.C. 20375, USA; +1.202.767.7230; nrltechtran@us.navy.mil, referencing Navy Case #211631-US2. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to methods of generating laser outputs based on conversion of laser inputs and related systems. BACKGROUND The mid-infrared wavelength range is defined herein as a wavelength range spanning from about 2000 nm to about 5000 nm. Materials capable of active gain can be rare-earth (or transition metal) doped transparent materials and/or electrically driven laser-diodes. Examples of these systems include direct electrical optical conversion in quantum cascade lasers (QCLs), intracavity lasers (ICLs), and optically active gain in rare-earth doped materials such as fluoride doped fibers and transition metal ion doped crystals. However, the emission bandwidth of laser diodes may be limited by the design and gain of the material, and may typically have narrow emission bandwidths for a given diode design (e.g., less than about 200 nm). Spontaneous emission occurring from the optical gain of rare-earth ion doped materials can emit over multiple wavelengths, while remaining limited within the 2800 nm to 4200 nm wavelength range depending on the excitation wavelength and the rare-earth ion used. Transition metal ions containing materials such as Cr doped ZnSe and Fe doped ZnSe and ZnS may have wide emissions but may suffer power penalties in the 3000 nm to 3600 nm wavelength range. Nonlinear optical conversion may provide a way to convert efficient high power laser systems from other wavelength ranges such as the short wave infrared and near infrared into the mid-infrared range. Indeed several demonstrations and commercial systems exist based on frequency conversion of lasers into this range. Among the various sources used, laser emission from Ytterbium and Erbium ions doped in a silica matrix with optical emissions around 1 μm and 1.55 μm, respectively are commonly used. In an all-fiber configuration, Ytterbium doped fiber lasers are understood to operate efficiently with wavelength emissions in a range from about 1020 nm to about 1150 nm. Erbium doped fiber lasers are understood to operate efficiently with wavelength emissions in a range from about 1530 nm to 1610 nm. Known devices, however, may work over relatively narrow wavelength bands, may be limited in an amount of power that can be handled, and/or may provide relatively slow power modulation. SUMMARY This summary is intended to introduce in simplified form, a selection of concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the disclosed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the disclosed subject matter. Instead, it is merely presented as a brief overview of subject matter described herein. According to some embodiments of inventive concepts, a laser output is provided. A first laser input with a first average power is provided from a first pump laser source, and a second laser input at a first state with a second average power is provided from a second pump laser source. A first laser output is generated using a crystal to provide conversion of the first laser input with the first average power and the second laser input at the first state with the second average power using difference frequency generation (DFG). After generating the first laser output, the second laser input is provided at a second state with the second average power from the second pump laser source, wherein the first and second states of the second laser input are different, and wherein the second average power remains unchanged for the first and second states of the second laser input. Moreover, a combined power of the first laser input and the second laser input at the first state is the same as a combined power of the first laser input and the second laser input at the second state. After generating the first laser output, a second laser output is generated using the crystal to provide conversion of the first laser input with the first average power and the second laser input at the second state with the second average power using DFG, and powers of the of the first and second laser outputs are different.