Multi-octave supercontinuum generation from mid-infrared filamentation in a bulk crystal

Dane R Austin,A Thai,D Faccio,J Biegert,F Silva,A Couairon,M Baudisch,M Hemmer

doi:10.1051/epjconf/20134110010

Abstract

We present supercontinuum generation pumped by femtosecond mid-infrared pulses in a bulk homogeneous material. The spectrum extends from 450 nm into the midinfrared, and carries high spectral energy density (3 pJ/nm–10 nJ/nm). The supercontinuum has high shot-to-shot reproducibility and preserves the carrier-to-envelope phase. Our result paves the way for compact supercontinuum sources with unprecedented bandwidth.

Highlights

Bright, broadband and coherent light sources are required, for example, in optical coherence tomography [1], time-resolved spectroscopy [2] and microscopy [3]
We present supercontinuum generation pumped by femtosecond mid-infrared pulses in a bulk homogeneous material
Long wavelength extensions of the spectrum are inefficient and require extreme conditions [9,10,11]. This suggests the necessity of increasing the pump wavelength to extend the long wavelength edge of the supercontinuum, but raises the question of whether a corresponding red shift of the short wavelength edge will occur

Summary

Introduction

Broadband and coherent light sources are required, for example, in optical coherence tomography [1], time-resolved spectroscopy [2] and microscopy [3]. We present supercontinuum generation pumped by femtosecond mid-infrared pulses in a bulk homogeneous material. The spectrum extends from 450 nm into the midinfrared, and carries high spectral energy density (3 pJ/nm–10 nJ/nm). The supercontinuum has high shot-to-shot reproducibility and preserves the carrier-to-envelope phase.

Results

Conclusion