TY - JOUR AB - We report the development of a high average power, picosecond-pulse, mid-infrared source based on difference-frequency generation (DFG) of two synchronous master oscillator power fiber amplifier systems. The generated idler can be tuned over the range 3.28–3.45 μm delivering greater than 3.4 W of average power, with a maximum pump to total DFG power conversion efficiency of 78%. The benefits of a synchronously pumped scheme, compared to CW seeding of DFG sources, are discussed. AU - Murray,RT AU - Runcorn,TH AU - Kelleher,EJR AU - Taylor,JR DO - 10.1364/OL.41.002446 EP - 2449 PY - 2016/// SN - 1539-4794 SP - 2446 TI - Highly efficient mid-infrared difference-frequency generation using synchronously pulsed fiber lasers T2 - Optics Letters UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OL.41.002446 UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/31288 VL - 41 ER -