Supercontinuum Generation in Silicon Optical Fibers

Silicon optical fibers are a promising platform for supercontinuum (SC) generation in the near-to-mid infrared (1.3 - 4.5nanoseconds) to be used for sensing and spectroscopy. This project aims to develop an accurate numerical model that takes into account the wavelength dependence of the key parameters, including multi-photon absorption and free-carrier absorption, in order to better understand the dynamics of the continuum generation. This will then be used for the optimisation of these fibers, including the design of tapered profiles (which have a variation of diameter along the length) that can produce a wider SC than previously achieved, and at the lowest possible powers.