Mid infrared supercontinuum generation in nanotapered chalcogenide-silica step-index waveguides

Chalcogenide glasses have nonlinear refractive indices ~200 times greater than fused silica, and offer windows of transparency extending far into the mid-IR. These properties make them interesting for supercontinuum (SC) generation at wavelengths beyond 2 μm. Various different waveguiding structures incorporating chalcogenide glasses have been reported in literature, including microstructured fibers [1] and fiber tapers [2].