Infrared supercontinuum generation in multiple quantum well nanostructures

The paper presents a theoretical study of broadband mid-infrared supercontinuum generation at low power in semiconductor multiple quantum wells (MQWs) facilitated by electromagnetically induced transparency. Pulses of 200 W peak power and 700 fs duration at 9.963 μm have been used to study the supercontinuum generation dynamics in a 1.374 μm long MQW system. The supercontinuum spectrum is 13.0 μm broad and asymmetric about the pump wavelength. Although the spectral broadening is dominated by self-phase modulation, four-wave mixing, modulation instability and soliton generation also contribute to the broadening.