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Title: Radiation hardening of pure-silica-core optical fibers: Reduction of induced absorption bands associated with self-trapped holes

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.119493· OSTI ID:531719
 [1]
  1. Optical Sciences Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States)

Visible/near-IR-range radiation hardening of a pair of low-OH/low-Cl silica-core optical fibers has been accomplished by {gamma}-ray preirradiation at 27 C to a dose of 13 MGy(Si) at a dose rate of 1 Gy(Si)/s in the dark. Reirradiation under identical conditions three months later demonstrated a 25-fold decrease in the initially induced intensities of the prominent radiation-induced bands centered near 660 and 760 nm and comparable decreases in weaker bands at longer and shorter wavelengths. Spectral changes observed in the wavelength regime 400{endash}1000 nm upon quenching the irradiated fibers to 77 K have revealed the likely copresence, even at room temperature, of a previously reported {open_quotes}low temperature infrared absorption{close_quotes} which peaks near 1600 nm. Based on this insight, induced losses at 1550 nm have been extrapolated from the present data. It is argued that self-trapped holes are most likely responsible for most of the metastable induced absorption bands in the range {approximately}400{endash}2000nm. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}

OSTI ID:
531719
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 71, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Jul 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English