Casting method for producing low-loss chalcogenide microstructured optical fibers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optical Engineering
• Photonics

Background:

• Chalcogenide microstructured optical fibers (MOFs) offer unique optical properties.
• Fabrication challenges have limited the development and application of these fibers.
• Achieving low optical loss is crucial for advanced photonic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report significant advances in the fabrication of low-loss chalcogenide MOFs.
• To introduce a novel molding technique for creating diverse MOF designs.
• To demonstrate that the fabrication process does not degrade the optical quality of the glass.

Main Methods:

• A new fabrication method involving molding chalcogenide glass within a silica cast.
• The silica cast is constructed from capillaries and capillary guides.
• Post-molding processing includes a hydrofluoric acid bath, preform drawing, and differential pressure control during drawing.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated various chalcogenide MOF designs, including suspended core, large core, and small core.
• Achieved the lowest optical fiber losses reported to date for selenium-based MOFs.
• Demonstrated that the achieved fiber losses are equivalent to the material's intrinsic losses, indicating no added loss from fabrication.

Conclusions:

• The novel molding technique represents a significant advancement in chalcogenide MOF fabrication.
• This method enables the production of diverse MOF structures with exceptionally low optical loss.
• The process preserves the inherent optical quality of the chalcogenide glass, paving the way for high-performance photonic devices.