Supercontinuum generation in photonic crystal fibers and optical fiber tapers: a novel light source

Broadband continua extending from 400 to 1600 nm are generated in photonic crystal fibers and in tapered conventional optical fibers. The continuum is generated in the fundamental fiber mode. Femtosecond pulses from an unamplified Ti:sapphire laser with energies up to 4 nJ are used, and the resultant spectra from several photonic crystal fibers and taper structures are compared and analyzed. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.