A mid-IR supercontinuum (SC) fiber laser based on a thulium-doped fiber amplifier (TDFA) is demonstrated. A continuous spectrum extending from $\sim 1.9$ to $4.5\mathrm{\mu m}$ is generated with $\sim 0.7\mathrm{W}$ time-average power in wave lengths beyond $3.8\mathrm{\mu m}$ . The laser outputs a total average power of up to $\sim 2.6\mathrm{W}$ from $\sim 8.5\mathrm{m}$ length of ${\mathrm{ZrF}}_4─{\mathrm{BaF}}_2─{\mathrm{LaF}}_3─{\mathrm{AlF}}_3─\mathrm{NaF}$ (ZBLAN) fiber, with an optical conversion efficiency of $\sim 9\%$ from the TDFA pump to the mid-IR SC. Optimal efficiency in generating wavelengths beyond $3.8\mathrm{\mu m}$ is achieved by reducing the losses in the TDFA stage and optimizing the ZBLAN fiber length. We demonstrate a novel (to our knowledge) approach of generating modulation instability-initiated SC starting from $1.55\mathrm{\mu m}$ by splitting the spectral shifting process into two steps. In the first step, amplified approximately nanosecond-long $1.55\mathrm{\mu m}$ laser diode pulses with $\sim 2.5\mathrm{kW}$ peak power generate a SC extending beyond $2.1\mathrm{\mu m}$ in $\sim 25\mathrm{m}$ length of standard single-mode fiber (SMF). The $\sim 2\mathrm{\mu m}$ wavelength components at the standard SMF output are amplified in a TDFA and coupled into ZBLAN fiber leading to mid-IR SC generation. Up to $\sim 270\mathrm{nm}$ SC long wavelength edge extension and $\sim 2.5\times$ higher optical conversion efficiency to wavelengths beyond $3.8\mathrm{\mu m}$ are achieved by switching an Er:Yb-based power amplifier stage with a TDFA. The laser also demonstrates scalability in the average output power with respect to the pulse repetition rate and the amplifier pump power. Numerical simulations are performed by solving the generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation, which show the long wavelength edge of the SC to be limited by the loss in ZBLAN.

© 2011 Optical Society of America

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Citation lists with outbound citation links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article level metrics are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

Related Journal Articles

• Supercontinuum generation by higher-order mode excitation in a photonic crystal fiber (OE)
• Demonstration of carrier envelope offset locking with low pulse energy (OE)
• Description of ultrashort pulse propagation in multimode optical fibers (JOSAB)
• Supercontinuum generation with a chirped-pulse oscillator (OE)
• Dynamics of femtosecond supercontinuum generation in multimode fibers (OE)

Related Conference Papers

• Supercontinuum Generation in Pure Silica Core Cut-off Shifted Single Mode Fibers
• Ultra-Broadband Supercontinuum Generation from Ultraviolet to 6.28 μm in a Fluoride Fiber
• Broadband Low Power Super-Continuum Generation in As²S³Chalcogenide Glass Fiber Nanotapers
• Near-Diffraction-Limited Supercontinuum Generation in a Cladding-Pumped Nonlinear Fiber Converter
• Effect of the Tapered Regions on the Evolution of a Spectrally Phase Modulated Pulse in a Tapered Fiber for Supercontinuum Generation