Optimization of highly nonlinear dispersion-flattened photonic crystal fiber for supercontinuum generation

Abstract

A simple type of photonic crystal fiber (PCF) for supercontinuum generation is proposed for the first time. The proposed PCF is composed of a solid silica core and a cladding with square lattice uniform elliptical air holes, which offers not only a large nonlinear coefficient but also a high birefringence and low leakage losses. The PCF with nonlinear coefficient as large as 46 W−1 · km−1 at the wavelength of 1.55 μm and a total dispersion as low as ±2.5 ps · nm−1 · km−1 over an ultra-broad waveband range of the S—C—L band (wavelength from 1.46 μm to 1.625 μm) is optimized by adjusting its structure parameter, such as the lattice constant Λ, the air-filling fraction f, and the air-hole ellipticity η. The novel PCF with ultra-flattened dispersion, highly nonlinear coefficient, and nearly zero negative dispersion slope will offer a possibility of efficient super-continuum generation in telecommunication windows using a few ps pulses.