Optimization of dispersion in hollow-core photonic crystal fibers filled with toluene

In this work, we thoroughly investigated the dispersion in SiO2-based photonic crystal fibers with a C7H8-infiltrated hollow core. By cleverly modifying the air hole diameters and lattice constants in the structural design, we achieved ultra-flat near-zero dispersion as small as 0.462 ps·nm–1·km–1 and diverse dispersion properties of PCFs, very beneficial for supercontinuum generation. Based on the simulation results, we propose three optimal structures with small and flat dispersion capable of generating a broad and smooth supercontinuum spectrum. The results of our study can be advantageous for fabricating fibers in low-cost all-fiber laser systems.