Mid-infrared supercontinuum generation spanning 20 to 151  μm in a chalcogenide step-index fiber

We experimentally demonstrate mid-infrared (MIR) supercontinuum (SC) generation spanning ∼2.0 to 15.1 μm in a 3 cm-long chalcogenide step-index fiber. The pump source is generated by the difference frequency generation with a pulse width of ∼170 fs, a repetition rate of ∼1000 Hz, and a wavelength range tunable from 2.4 to 11 μm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the broadest MIR SC generation observed so far in optical fibers. It facilitates fiber-based applications in sensing, medical, and biological imaging areas.