Chalcogenide Microstructured Optical Fibers for Mid-Infrared Supercontinuum Generation: Interest, Fabrication, and Applications

The mid-infrared spectral region is of great technical and scientific importance in a variety of research fields and applications. Among these studies, mid-infrared supercontinuum generation has attracted strong interest in the last decade, because of unique properties such as broad wavelength coverage and high coherence, among others. In this paper, the intrinsic optical properties of different types of glasses and fibers are presented. It turns out that microstructured chalcogenide fibers are ideal choices for the generation of mid-infrared supercontinua. The fabrication procedures of chalcogenide microstructured fibers are introduced, including purification methods of the glass, rod synthesis processes, and preform realization techniques. In addition, supercontinua generated in chalcogenide microstructured fibers employing diverse pump sources and configurations are enumerated. Finally, the potential of supercontinua for applications in mid-infrared imaging and spectroscopy is shown.