Strong infrared spectral broadening in low-loss As-S chalcogenide suspended core microstructured optical fibers

Abstract

We report the fabrication and characterization of the first guiding chalcogenide As2S3 microstructured optical fibers (MOFs) with a suspended core. At 1.55 μm, the measured losses are approximately 0.7 dB/m or 0.35 dB/m according to the MOF core size. The fibers have been designed to present a zero dispersion wavelength (ZDW) around 2 μm. By pumping the fibers at 1.55 μm, strong spectral broadenings are obtained in both 1.8 and 45-m-long fibers by using a picosecond fiber laser. © 2010 Optical Society of America.