Continuum generation in photonic crystal fibres by multi-wavelength amplified sub-nanosecond light pulses

Abstract

We report the results of experimental study of a white-light supercontinuum generation in single-mode air-silica microstructured fibres under sub-nanosecond single and dual wavelength pumping. We show that simultaneous excitation of the microstuctured fibre in its normal and anomalous dispersion regimes using the fundamental and second harmonic signals of a passively Q-switched microchip laser results in extension of the spectral range covered by homogeneous supercontinuum to the UV range up to 375 nm. Keywords: supercontinuum, photonic crystal fibre