Development of suspended core soft glass fibers for far-detuned parametric conversion

Light sources utilizing \c{hi}(2) parametric conversion combine high brightness with attractive operation wavelengths in the near and mid-infrared. In optical fibers it is possible to use \c{hi}(3) degenerate four-wave mixing in order the obtain signal-to-idler frequency detuning of over 100 THz. We report on a test series of nonlinear soft glass suspended core fibers intended for parametric conversion of 1000-1100 nm signal wavelengths available from an array of mature lasers into the near-to-mid-infrared range of 2700-3500 nm under pumping with an erbium sub-picosecond laser system. Presented discussion includes modelling of the fiber properties, details of their physical development and characterization, as well as experimental tests of parametric conversion.