Thermal stability of oxygen-modulated chemical-composition gratings in standard telecommunication fiber

Experimental results and a discussion on the formation and decay of oxygen-modulated chemical-composition gratings in a standard telecommunication fiber are presented. Comparison between the decay experiment and the model provides a diffusion coefficient with an activation energy of 490 kJ/mol, which is in close agreement with reported values of oxygen self-diffusion in silica. The gratings have a diffusion-controlled decay behavior, with more than 50% of the reflectivity remaining after 7.5 h at a temperature of 1230degreesC. The gratings show higher thermal stability when heated in air than in an inert argon atmosphere. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.