8-fs pulses from a compact Er:fiber system: quantitative modeling and experimental implementation

TLDR: This work demonstrates an all-fiber turnkey source of extremely stable 2-cycle pulses at a center wavelength of 1.17 microm based on parameter-free simulations of nonlinear pulse propagation including higher-order dispersion as well as instantaneous Kerr and retarded Raman contributions.

Abstract: We demonstrate an all-fiber turnkey source of extremely stable 2-cycle pulses at a center wavelength of 1.17 μm. Taylor-cut highly nonlinear germano-silica bulk fibers (HNFs) provide smooth supercontinua with a bandwidth of 560 nm and a spectral shape precisely controlled by the dispersion of the fiber and the phase of the 1.55 μm pump pulses. Alternatively these fibers are capable of generating pulses with central wavelengths continuously tunable from 0.9 μm up to 1.4 μm. These results are based on parameter-free simulations of nonlinear pulse propagation including higher-order dispersion as well as instantaneous Kerr and retarded Raman contributions.