High-power mid-IR supercontinuum generation in fluoroindate and arsenic sulfide fibers pumped by a broadband 1.9-2.7 μm all-fiber laser source

We report the experimental demonstration of high-power supercontinuum generation in step-index fluoroindate (InF3) and chalcogenide (As2S3) fibers. A home-built fiber-based laser system with a broad spectrum spanning from 1.9 to 2.7 mu m and delivering an output average power of 6.15 W was used as the pump source. A timeaveraged power of 2.95 W covering the entire 2-5 mu m wavelength range is obtained from an InF3 fiber. Cascading the system by adding an As2S3 fiber, the spectrum was extended up to 5.58 mu m. Moreover, we present a supercontinuum with an average power of 440 mW and a spectrum extended to 4.17 mu m generated by an As2S3 fiber pumped directly by a broadband (2.4-2.7 mu m), silica-based laser source centered at 2.55 mu m. Combined with a high degree of spectral flatness, the high-output supercontinuum power highlights the potential of the developed sources for use in a wide variety of applications.