Supercontinuum generation and absorption spectroscopy from 3 to 20 μm using a highly nonlinear telluride glass rod
Abstract
Broadband light sources extending deep into the long-wavelength mid-infrared are of strong interest for molecular spectroscopy, sensing, and nonlinear photonics, but their generation remains challenging because of the limited availability of suitable materials and efficient nonlinear conversion schemes. Here, we demonstrate broadband supercontinuum generation in a bulk GeTe₄–AgI chalcohalide glass using intense femtosecond pulses centered at approximately 8.5 μm. The generated supercontinuum extends from 3 to 20 μm, corresponding to a spectral coverage of approximately 2.7 octaves, and reaches an output average power of 2.1 mW at a 1-kHz repetition rate. The high peak power relative to the estimated self-focusing critical power leads to strong nonlinear spectral broadening in the bulk glass, consistent with the regime of filamentation-assisted supercontinuum generation. The generated broadband source is further evaluated for long-wavelength mid-IR spectroscopy through absorption measurements of a 100-µm-thick polytetrafluoroethylene film. The main absorption features measured using the supercontinuum source agree well with those obtained using a conventional Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer, including characteristic bands around 16 and 18 μm. These results demonstrate the potential of telluride glasses for broadband nonlinear light generation and spectroscopy extending into the long-wavelength mid-IR.
Related
- Continuous-wave 148.4-nm generation in strontium tetraborate for nuclear absorption spectroscopy
- Understanding the high-resolution spectral signatures of Ar-D2O in the 3OD stretch region measured by cavity ringdown absorption spectroscopy
- Time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy with quantum light
- A solid-state nuclear clock based on VUV absorption spectroscopy of 229Th
- A substrate-versatile operando electrochemical cell for X-ray absorption spectroscopy
BibTeX
@article{serrano2026supercontinuum,
title = {{Supercontinuum generation and absorption spectroscopy from 3 to 20 μm using a highly nonlinear telluride glass rod}},
author = {Esteban Serrano and Pierre Béjot and Franck Billard and Grégory Gadret and Frédéric Smektala and Bohdan Mahlovanyi and Catherine Boussard-Plédel and David Le Coq and Bertrand Kibler},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-74737-4},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74737-4},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Supercontinuum generation and absorption spectroscopy from 3 to 20 μm using a highly nonlinear telluride glass rod
AU - Esteban Serrano
AU - Pierre Béjot
AU - Franck Billard
AU - Grégory Gadret
AU - Frédéric Smektala
AU - Bohdan Mahlovanyi
AU - Catherine Boussard-Plédel
AU - David Le Coq
AU - Bertrand Kibler
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/08
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-74737-4
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74737-4
AB - Broadband light sources extending deep into the long-wavelength mid-infrared are of strong interest for molecular spectroscopy, sensing, and nonlinear photonics, but their generation remains challenging because of the limited availability of suitable materials and efficient nonlinear conversion schemes. Here, we demonstrate broadband supercontinuum generation in a bulk GeTe₄–AgI chalcohalide glass using intense femtosecond pulses centered at approximately 8.5 μm. The generated supercontinuum extends from 3 to 20 μm, corresponding to a spectral coverage of approximately 2.7 octaves, and reaches an output average power of 2.1 mW at a 1-kHz repetition rate. The high peak power relative to the estimated self-focusing critical power leads to strong nonlinear spectral broadening in the bulk glass, consistent with the regime of filamentation-assisted supercontinuum generation. The generated broadband source is further evaluated for long-wavelength mid-IR spectroscopy through absorption measurements of a 100-µm-thick polytetrafluoroethylene film. The main absorption features measured using the supercontinuum source agree well with those obtained using a conventional Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer, including characteristic bands around 16 and 18 μm. These results demonstrate the potential of telluride glasses for broadband nonlinear light generation and spectroscopy extending into the long-wavelength mid-IR.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -