Ultra-Wide Mid-Infrared Supercontinuum Generation in As40Se60Chalcogenide Fibers: Solid Core PCF Versus SIF

Abstract

Due to the pronounced scientific and technical attention paid to the mid-infrared spectral region, we focus on ultra-wide mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in As40Se60 chalcogenide SIF and PCF—step index and photonic crystal fibers—using a symmetrized split step Fourier method (S-SSFM). Simulations reveal, in response to launching 100 fs input pulses of 50 kW peak powers, with near zero dispersion wavelengths centered about $\lambda _{0} = 8.5$ μm, into 50-mm long As40Se60 SIF and solid core PCF, 8.5 and 11-μm supercontinua can be achieved, respectively. Moreover, numerical results also show, when ultra-short pulses of center wavelengths $\lambda _{0} = 12$ μm are launched into those SIF and PCF, ripple free spectra as wide as 10 and 13 μm can be attained, respectively. These spectra are useful for safe spectroscopic medical imaging diagnosis such as early cancer diagnostics, and other spectroscopic applications such as gas sensing and food quality control.