RADIATION-HARD 100% SILICA OPTICAL FIBER WAVEGUIDES

OPTICAL SIGNALS CAN BE TRANSMITTED THROUGH STRANDS OF TRANSPARENT MATERIALS CALLED OPTICAL FIBERS. THESE FIBERS ARE CIRCULAR DIELECTRIC WAVEGUIDES WITH A CENTRAL CORE AND A CONCENTRIC CLADDING. THE LIGHT SIGNALS ARE CONFINED TO THE CORE BY CONTROLLING ITS ANGULAR CONDITION SO THAT TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION OCCURS. TO ENABLE THE TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION OF LIGHT, THE CORE MATERIAL OF THE FIBER HAS AN INDEX OF REFRACTION HIGHER THAN THAT OF THE CLADDING MATERIAL BY ABOUT 1%. IT IS NECESSARY TO ADD DOPANTS TO SILICA TO ALTER ITS INDEX OF REFRACTION. HOWEVER, DOPANTS AND THE RESULTING DEFECTS INCREASE BOTH SCATTERING LOSS DUE TO EXISTING INHOMOGENEITIES AND SIGNAL ATTENUATION DUE TO ABSORPTION. IN HIGH ENERGY RADIATION ENVIRONMENT THE PROBLEM OF SIGNAL DISTORTION IS EXACERBATED DUE TO INCREASED CONCENTRATION OF COLOR CENTERS. THIS RESEARCH FOCUSES ON THE FABRICATION OF 100% SILICA OPTICAL FIBER WAVEGUIDES WHEREIN THE COLOR CENTERS WILL BE ABSENT THEREBY MAKING THE FIBER RADIATION-HARD. SOL-GEL TECHNOLOGY WILL BE UTILIZED FOR THE FABRICATION OF THESE NOVEL OPTICAL FIBER WAVEGUIDES.