Microstructured Fibers Based on Tellurite Glass for Nonlinear Conversion of Mid-IR Ultrashort Optical Pulses

Abstract

Compact fiber-based sources generating optical pulses with a broadband spectrum in the mid-IR range are in demand for basic science and many applications. Laser systems producing tunable Raman solitons in special soft-glass fibers are of great interest. Here, we report experimental microstructured tellurite fibers and demonstrate by numerical simulation their applicability for nonlinear soliton conversion in the mid-infrared (-IR) range via soliton self-frequency shift. The fiber dispersion and nonlinearity are calculated for experimental geometry. It is shown numerically that there are two zero dispersion wavelengths for the core size of 2 μm and less. In such fibers, efficient Raman soliton tuning is attained up to a central wavelength of 4.8 μm using pump pulses at 2.8 μm.