Broad-band dispersion measurement of ZBLAN, germanate and silica fibers in mid-IR

Abstract

We report the first ultra-broad band dispersion measurements in short-length ZBLAN, germanate and silica-based optical fibers in the near- and midIR wavelength ranges between 1.7 and 2.0 μm and from 2.3 to 2.45 μm, using two ultra-broadband light sources: a broadband superluminescent Tm-doped fiber source and a novel femtosecond pulsed mode-locked Cr:ZnS oscillator. The measured second order dispersion characteristics of the fibers correspond to the theoretical predictions (numerical calculations).