The FASOR Technology

Prototype sum-frequency generator, circa 2001.FASOR is an acronym for “Frequency Addition Source of Optical Radiation.”  A FASOR takes two input light beams and produces a laser-like output beam, with the wavelength λ_out of the output beam related to the wavelengths λ₁ and λ₂ of the input beams by the equation:

λ_out = (1/λ₁ + 1/λ₂)^-1

We use a FASOR to produce 589 nm, by using two Nd:YAG lasers as inputs into a sum-frequency generator.  One input laser has a wavelength of 1064 nm, the other at 1319 nm.  The production of the output beam is due to a nonlinear optical interaction, rather than from true “laser” action.