A highly non-linear tellurite microstructure fiber with multi-ring holes for supercontinuum generation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optics and Photonics
• Glass Science

Background:

• Microstructure optical fibers offer unique light-guiding properties.
• Tellurite glasses are known for their high nonlinearity and broad transmission range.
• Controlling microstructure during fiber drawing is crucial for achieving desired optical characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate a highly nonlinear tellurite microstructure fiber with a small core and multiple rings of holes.
• To investigate the relationship between fabrication parameters and microstructure stability.
• To evaluate the chromatic dispersion properties and supercontinuum generation capabilities of the fabricated fiber.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of tellurite fiber using cast rod in tube and stacking methods.
• Application of positive pressure during fiber drawing to maintain microstructure integrity.
• Indirect evaluation of temperature gradient in the preform's neck region.
• Characterization of chromatic dispersion and supercontinuum generation.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated a tellurite fiber with a 1.8-micron core and four rings of holes.
• Investigated correlations between pump pressure, hole size, surface tension, and temperature gradient.
• Achieved significantly flattened chromatic dispersion compared to step-index fibers.
• Observed infrared supercontinuum generation and visible third harmonic generation using a 1557 nm femtosecond fiber laser.

Conclusions:

• This work presents the first soft glass microstructure fiber with a small core and four rings of holes for dispersion engineering.
• The fabricated fiber demonstrates excellent dispersion properties and nonlinear optical functionalities.
• The findings pave the way for advanced optical applications utilizing tailored dispersion and nonlinear effects in microstructure fibers.