TRANSMISSION-LOSS SPECTRA OF CHALCOHALIDE SE-TE-I GLASS-FIBERS AND ITS DELIVERY OF CO2-LASER POWER

Chalcohalide Se-Te-I glass fibers have been investigated. The glasses stable against crystallization were found in the region of Se20-70Te10-40I20-45 (at.%). Unclad fibers were prepared by the pressurized crucible fiber-drawing method. The lowest transmission loss of 0.9 dB/m at 10.6-mu-m wavelength, which is lower than that of previously reported chalcogenide glass fiber, was achieved for the Se25Te30I45 glass fiber. The maximum CO2 laser power delivered through a fiber of 400-mu-m in diameter and 1 m in length was only 0.8 W. Both the absorbance increments with temperature and the low glass transition temperature of this glass have imposed a limitation on its deliverable power.