Supercontinuum generation in single-crystal YAG fibers pumped around the zero-dispersion wavelength

Yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) is a common host material for both bulk and single-crystal fiber lasers. With increasing interest in developing optical technologies in the short-wave infrared and mid-infrared wavelength range, YAG may be a potential supercontinuum medium for these applications. Here, we characterize femtosecond laser pumped supercontinuum generation with 1200-2000 nm pump wavelengths (λ) for undoped, single-crystal YAG fibers, which are representative of the normal, zero, and anomalous-dispersion regimes. Supercontinuum was observed over the spectral region of about 0.2 to 1.6λ. Z-scan measurements were also performed of bulk YAG, which revealed little dispersion of the nonlinear index of refraction (n₂) in the region of interest. The measured values of n₂ (∼1×10^-6cm²/GW) indicate a regime in which the nonlinear length, L, is less than the dispersion length, L, (L≪L). We report intensity clamping of the generated filament in the normal group velocity dispersion (GVD) regime and an isolated anti-Stokes peak in the anomalous GVD regime, suggesting further consideration is needed to optimize supercontinuum generation in this fiber medium.