Broadband & Supercontinuum Sources for Precision R&D

Did You Know?

Supercontinuum fiber lasers, also known as "white-light" lasers, are a special type of light source that generate an ultra-broad optical spectrum spanning from UV to beyond two microns, with a beam quality similar to that of a traditional laser, over the full wavelength range. The development of supercontinuum fiber lasers in the past decade has been driven by the need for higher power, broader spectral range, and more recently, robustness at low cost. The underlying principle of supercontinuum fiber lasers is the nonlinear interaction of an intense femtosecond or picosecond laser pulse with a highly nonlinear optical fiber. This interaction results in the creation of a smooth and continuous spectrum of light, which can be controlled by adjusting the input pulse parameters and fiber properties. Supercontinuum fiber lasers have several advantages over traditional light sources, including high brightness, high spectral density, and low coherence. They are used in a wide range of applications, such as biomedical imaging, spectroscopy, microscopy, and telecommunications. Over the past decade, the average cost per watt of supercontinuum fiber lasers has dropped tenfold to less than $10 per watt, making them more accessible for mainstream applications. The ongoing development of new fiber designs, pump sources, and control electronics is expected to further expand the range of applications for these versatile light sources.
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Frequently Asked Questions

A broadband supercontinuum source is a type of light source that produces a wide range of wavelengths spanning from the UV to the near-IR region. It is created by sending an intense laser pulse through a highly nonlinear optical fiber, which results in a broad and smooth spectrum.

What Are Broadband & Supercontinuum Sources?

Broadband & Supercontinuum Sources are fiber-based light sources that generate a continuous spectrum spanning hundreds of nanometers to over an octave, typically from the visible into the near‑infrared. They are usually pumped by pulsed fiber lasers, where nonlinear effects in photonic crystal or highly nonlinear fibers broaden the spectrum into a quasi‑white light output with high spatial coherence.

On FindLight, Broadband & Supercontinuum Sources fall under fiber laser light sources and are used when a single, stable, diffraction‑limited beam is required to cover multiple wavelengths for spectroscopy, imaging, or metrology tasks.

Typical Specifications

When evaluating Broadband & Supercontinuum Sources, engineers typically compare:

  • Spectral range: Common spans include 400–2400 nm, 450–2000 nm, or application‑specific windows (e.g., 650–950 nm for bioimaging, 1000–2200 nm for NIR work).
  • Output power: From a few hundred milliwatts to several watts total, with power density varying across the spectrum.
  • Pulse parameters: Repetition rates from tens of kHz to >80 MHz; pulse durations from sub‑picosecond to nanosecond depending on the pump design.
  • Spectral flatness and stability: Ripple, short‑term power stability, and long‑term drift, important for quantitative spectroscopy and calibration.
  • Beam quality and delivery: Single‑mode or few‑mode output, fiber‑coupled or free‑space, M² close to 1 for tight focusing.
  • Triggering and interfaces: Sync outputs, modulation inputs, and PC interfaces (USB, Ethernet) for system integration.

Typical Applications

Broadband & Supercontinuum Sources on FindLight are used in absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, hyperspectral and confocal microscopy, OCT, fiber sensing, optical component characterization, and general lab illumination where tunable or filtered bands are derived from a single broadband source.

Buyer Guidance on FindLight

Use FindLight to compare Broadband & Supercontinuum Sources by spectral coverage, average power, pulse characteristics, and output interface relative to your detectors, optics, and sample constraints. Review datasheets for relative spectral power distribution and noise characteristics. Once you identify suitable options, request quotes or technical clarifications directly from multiple vendors; no registration is required to initiate inquiries, enabling efficient technical and commercial comparison for your project.