Dispersion-engineered microstructured optical fiber for mid-infrared supercontinuum generation

Due to the large scientific and technical interest in the mid-infrared (MIR) spectral region, and the limitations of MIR light sources, we focus on the generation of a broad supercontinuum inside a short piece of As₂Se₃ microstructured optical fiber (MOF) with a square lattice. This is accomplished by filling the holes in the innermost ring of the proposed MOF with Ge₃₃As₁₂Se₅₅ to produce ultraflat and near-zero dispersion. Simulations reveal that, by launching 100 fs input pulses centered at λ₀=6.2  μm with a peak power of 2 kW into the MOF, an optical spectrum as wide as 9.5 μm will be achieved. This spectrum is a suitable source for MIR applications such as spectroscopy, food quality control, and gas sensing.