Efficient on-chip molecule and bio-agent detection can be achieved by accessing strong molecular absorption lines in the mid-infrared, but it requires high output power broadband mid-IR sources. Here, we report supercontinuum generation in an air-clad Si 0.6 Ge 0.4 ∕Si waveguide that emits a broad spectrum spanning from 3.0 μm to 8.5 μm. These waveguides have anomalous dispersion and low propagation loss (<0.4 dB∕cm) in the mid-IR, which leads to a supercontinuum output with a high average power of more than 10 mW on-chip. The realization of broadband mid-IR sources with high spectral brightness makes the SiGe-on-Si platform promising for a wide range of applications.

International audienceIncandescent filaments and membranes are often used as infrared sources despite their low efficiency, broad angular emission, and lack of spectral selectivity. Here, we introduce a metasurface to control simultaneously the spectrum and the directivity of blackbody radiation. The plasmonic metasurface operates reliably at 600 °C with an emissivity higher than 0.85 in a narrow frequency band and in a narrow solid angle. This emitter paves the way for the development of compact, efficient, and cheap IR sources and gas detection systems