Experimental demonstration of linearly polarized 2-10 μm supercontinuum generation in a chalcogenide rib waveguide.

This Letter reports the production of a supercontinuum extending from ≈2  μm to >10  μm generated using a chalcogenide buried rib waveguide pumped with 330 femtosecond pulses at 4.184 μm. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the broadest mid-infrared supercontinuum generated in any planar waveguide platform. Because the waveguide is birefringent, quasi-single-mode, and uses an optimized dispersion design, the supercontinuum is linearly polarized with an extinction ratio >100. Dual beam spectrophotometry is performed easily using this source.