Ultra-broadband continuum generation by hollow-fiber cascading

A novel spectral broadening technique, based on hollow-fiber cascading, is reported, which allows the generation of a supercontinuum extending to a bandwidth exceeding 510 THz with excellent spatial beam quality. High-peak-power, sub-7-fs light pulses tunable from the visible to the near infrared have been generated by compression of portions of the supercontinuum, employing different sets of chirped mirrors.