Supercontinuum generation in two kinds of chalcogenide microstructured optical fibers

Chalcogenide microstructured fibers (MOFs) have great advantages for supercontinuum (SC) generation in mid-infrared (MIR) region, because they possess the properties of high nonlinearity and wide transmission window, simultaneously. The nonlinear parameters of chalcogenide MOFs can be higher by several tens or hundreds than those of silica, fluoride and tellurite fibers depending on the material components and fiber structures. Chalcogenide MOF can be transparent from visible up to the infrared region of 12 or 15 mu m depending on the compositions. In this paper, we demonstrate the SC generation in two kinds of suspended-core chalcogenide MOFs with different material components and fiber structures. One is an As2S3 MOF with three-hole structure (Fiber I). The other is an As2S5 MOF with four-hole structure (Fiber II). For Fiber I, the SC range of 3020 nm (from 1510 to 4530 nm) were obtained in a 2.4 cm fiber, when pumped by the wavelength at 2500 nm. The SC extends to the wavelengths longer than 4 mu m. For Fiber II, the SC range of 4280 nm (from 1370 to 5650 nm) is generated in a 4.8 cm fiber when pumped by the wavelength at 2300 nm, which covers more than two octaves. Compared to the SC generated in Fiber I, the SC spectral range in Fiber II has been increased by more than 1200 nm due to the better transmission property of the As2S5 glass; the SC extends to the wavelengths longer than 5 mu m.