High Performance Fluoride Fiber for IR Optic Applications

Fluoride glass has a very small loss compared to other fibers. The loss for fluoride glass fiber can be as low as 0.003 dB/m. Compared to silica, IR fibers usually have higher loss, larger refractive indices and dn/dT, lower melting or softening points, and greater thermal expansion. The higher dn/dT and low melting or softening point leads to thermal lensing and low laser induced damage thresholds for some of the fibers. The application of fluoride glass can be extended to a wide range of IR applications if a higher strength and high melting/softening material can be achieved. This program proposes an innovative fluoride fiber. The high melting point and high strength can enhance its bending radius, increase length, increase energy capability, and decrease diameter. The continuous process can also lower the cost.