Supercontinuum Generation Kit

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Schematic of the Supercontinuum Generation Kit

Build Your Kit

• Choose a Base Kit (Imperial or Metric)
• Choose a Pair of Half-Wave Plates Suitable to the Wavelength Range of your Pump Laser
• Optional accessories include optical isolators and chirped mirrors. See the Kit Customization tab for details.
• Custom Modifications Available by Contacting Tech Sales

Thorlabs' Supercontinuum Generation Kit uses a highly nonlinear photonic crystal fiber to spectrally broaden femtosecond pulses near 800 nm. The SCKB2(/M) kit produces an output beam that combines the high power and spatial coherence of a laser with the broad visible-to-NIR spectrum of an incandescent source.

The SCKB2(/M) kit consists of preselected, proven parts that allow the user to quickly build a setup and create a supercontinuum spectrum. The kit components are shipped unassembled; see the Kit Components tab for a complete list of included parts. Due to this modular nature, the supercontinuum kits may be easily customized to a particular application by adding or replacing components. For examples, please see the Kit Customization tab above.

Additionally, the periscope assembly allows the beam height of the pump source to be matched to the height of the kit's optical axis. Input heights up to 4.6" (114 mm) relative to the breadboard mounting surface can be accepted by the periscope. Custom spacers for popular lasers are available by contacting Tech Sales.

When pumped with Menlo Systems' C-FIBER-780-HIGH-POWER or ELMO-780-HIGH-POWER, the SCKB2(/M) produces a smooth, stable output and even intensity over a broad range of visible and NIR wavelengths. If a tunable Ti:sapphire laser is used, the shape and intensity of the spectral output will vary as a function of the peak power, pulse width, and center wavelength of the pump. This enables the production of qualitatively different spectra. Performance plots using several lasers are shown in the Graphs tab above. For advice on the choice of pump laser, we invite you to contact us at Tech Sales.

Depending on the spectral distance from the zero-dispersion wavelength of the fiber (760 nm), a variety of nonlinear effects are responsible for the creation of the supercontinuum spectrum. These effects include self-phase modulation, Raman scattering, soliton fission, and four-wave mixing. Please refer to J.M. Dudley, G. Genty, S. Coen. "Supercontinuum generation in photonic crystal fiber" Rev. Mod. Phys. 78, 1135 (2006) for a review of these effects in photonic crystal fibers.

Supercontinuum Generation with a Fixed-Wavelength Laser

The graph below shows results obtained using a fixed-wavelength Ti:Sapphire laser to pump the SCKB2(/M) kit. The laser parameters are given in the table to the right of the graph. The very large bandwidth of the pump laser causes the spectrum to extend from prominent peaks in the visible to 1600 nm and beyond, without a sharp intensity drop-off. In general, the output spectrum will depend upon the peak power, pulse width, and the center wavelength of the pump laser used.

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See the table to the right for the pump laser item # and parameters used.
The very large bandwidth of the pump laser causes the supercontinuum
spectrum to extend to 1600 nm and beyond with minimal intensity roll-off.
Click here to download the raw data for all spectra.

Supercontinuum Generation with a Tunable Laser

The spectral output of the SCKB2(/M) Supercontinuum Generation Kit can be tuned by changing the wavelength of the input light. The zero-dispersion wavelength (ZDW) of the kit's fiber module is 760 nm, which allows Ti:Sapphire lasers to pump above and below the ZDW, accessing qualitatively different spectra.

The following spectra were taken using a Coherent Chameleon Ultra II laser as the pump source. The results were collected by dispersing the light with a prism and then translating a slit and calibrated detector across the dispersed beam to measure the intensity across the spectrum. The data shows how the supercontinuum spectrum varies with input wavelength. 

We thank Rupert Oulton and his group at Imperial College London for providing us with these results.

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As the center wavelength of the pump light is varied both above and below
the fiber module's zero-dispersion wavlength (760 nm), the supercontinuum
spectrum changes. Click here to download the raw data for all spectra.

Kit Customization Examples

The Supercontinuum Generation Kit may be modified to fit the demands of a particular application thanks to its modular design that uses items compatible with Thorlabs' stock components.

For example, additional components can be added to the kit such as an optical isolator for feedback prevention, aspheric lenses for a particular wavelength of light, or chirped mirrors to compensate for pulse broadening from upstream components, as shown in the image to the right.

For Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) applications, the standard nonlinear fiber cell can be replaced with a specialized cell featuring two zero-dispersion wavelengths. Pump light between the two zero-dispersion wavelengths is converted into two distinct spectral peaks, one in the visible range and one in the NIR. A graph of a spectrum produced with a CARS fiber cell can be seen below.

If a different nonlinear fiber is required for the intended supercontinuum application, the standard fiber cell mounts can be replaced with fiber clamps to allow the kit to be used with bare fibers. The image to the right shows an SCKB2 kit equipped with an HFF001 Quick-Release Adjustable Fiber Clamp and an HFF003 Simplifed Fiber Clamp, each with an AMA093 height adjuster shims. One style of fiber clamp or the other can be used to hold either end of a bare fiber.

For more information on these and other customization options, please contact us at techsales@thorlabs.com.

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Supercontinuum Spectrum Generated Using a Custom Kit With a CARS Cell
Click Here to Download Raw Data

Supercontinuum Kit Laser Package Options

The supercontinuum generation kits may also be ordered as a package that includes a femtosecond laser. Options include the C-FIBER-780-HIGH-POWER and ELMO-780-HIGH-POWER femtosecond lasers from our strategic partner, Menlo Systems. Selected laser specifications are given in the table below; for full details, please see that laser's full web presentation.

For more details or to receive quotes on a complete supercontinuum system, pre-assembly services, or installation services, please contact us at techsales@thorlabs.com.