赤外ガラスファイバの最近の動向

抄録

Infrared lasers operating in the mid-infrared, such as Er: YAG laser (2.94μm), CO laser (5.3-5.9μm) and CO² laser (10.6μm), received much attention as a medical surgical laser.
IR transmitting fluoride and chalcogenide glass fibers are very promising for applications in power delivery systems of these lasers.
Fluoroaluminate glass fibers with 450μm core diameter and 500μm clad diameter, prepared for Er: YAG laser power delivery have a minimum bending radius of 12mm, high damage thresholds of >8MW/cm2 input power density.
And also, high damage threshold of 210KW/cm2 has been achieved with chalcogenide As-S glass fiber for CO laser power delivery. These fibers are potentially useful for power delivery of Er: YAG laser and CO laser, respectively.
While, chalcogenide Ge-Se-Te glass fibers suffered thermal damage easily with the maximum CO² laser input power density of 40KW/cm2. The absorbance and refractive index increments with temperature of this glass have imposed a limitation on its deliverable power.