Patent ID: 10451787

Abstract:
Provided are an optical fiber that has a short zero-dispersion wavelength, has high nonlinearity, and can cause broadband supercontinuum light to be generated with high efficiency, and a light source device that can output broadband supercontinuum light by using the optical fiber. A light source device includes a seed light source that outputs light with a central wavelength 1000 nm or more and 1650 nm or less and an optical fiber that receives the light output from the seed light source, allows the light to propagate therethrough, causes broadband light with an expanded band to be generated in accordance with a nonlinear optical phenomenon while the light propagates therethrough, and outputs the broadband light. The optical fiber is composed of silica glass, has a zero-dispersion wavelength of 1290 nm to 1350 nm, and has an effective area of 14 μm2 or smaller at a wavelength of 1550 nm.