Comparative study of multioctave supercontinuum generation in fused silica, YAG, and LiF in the range of anomalous group velocity dispersion

Abstract

We present spectral measurements that uncover the detailed dynamics of the supercontinuum generation in fused silica, YAG, and LiF crystals when pumped with 100 fs pulses with a central wavelength of 2.3 μm, which falls into the range of anomalous group velocity dispersion of the media. The multi-octave supercontinuum spectra, which span from the ultraviolet to the mid-infrared, are recorded by means of high-dynamic range measurements over the entire wavelength range covered by the supercontinuum radiation. The spectral dynamics versus the input pulse energy uncovers different mechanisms of spectral broadening, which are characterized by the occurrence of specific but well-distinguished spectral signatures and which are interpreted in terms of plasma-induced and anomalous group velocity dispersion-induced compression of the driving pulse.