Mid-infrared strong spectral broadening in microstructured tapered chalcogenide AsSe fiber

We report on the generation of a supercontinuum in a chalcogenide microstructured tapered fiber. The suspended core diameter of the fiber is reduced from 5.5 μm to 0.8 μm in the waist of the tapered region. The zero dispersion wavelength is below 2 μm in the tapered region. To pump the fiber, we use a modelocked laser of 4 ps, with a central wavelength of 1960 nm. With only 150 W peak power in the fiber a supercontinuum is generated from 1300 to 2600 nm taking the supercontinuum wavelength edge at -30 dB from the continuum.