Definition of fluoride fibers

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Photonics Dictionary

fluoride fibers: Fluoride fibers are optical fibers made from fluoride-based materials, typically fluoride glasses or crystalline fluoride compounds. These fibers are characterized by their unique optical properties, particularly their low optical loss and high transparency in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) and far-infrared (far-IR) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Fluoride fibers offer several advantages over traditional silica-based optical fibers, especially in applications requiring transmission of light at longer wavelengths beyond the capabilities of silica fibers. Key properties and advantages of fluoride fibers include:

Low optical loss: Fluoride fibers exhibit low optical loss in the mid-IR and far-IR spectral regions, allowing for efficient transmission of light over long distances.

High transparency: Fluoride materials have a wide transmission window extending into the mid-IR and far-IR regions, enabling the propagation of light with wavelengths beyond the range of silica fibers.

High nonlinear coefficients: Fluoride fibers have high nonlinear coefficients, making them suitable for nonlinear optical processes such as frequency conversion, supercontinuum generation, and parametric amplification.

Chemical stability: Fluoride materials are chemically stable and resistant to degradation, providing long-term reliability in harsh environments and under extreme conditions.

Flexible design: Fluoride fibers can be fabricated with flexible designs, allowing for tight bending radii and compatibility with compact and miniaturized optical systems.

Fluoride fibers find applications in various scientific, industrial, and medical fields where the unique optical properties of fluoride materials are advantageous. These applications include spectroscopy, laser surgery, thermal imaging, sensing, and telecommunications in the mid-IR and far-IR spectral regions.

However, fluoride fibers require specialized fabrication techniques and handling procedures due to their sensitivity to moisture and environmental contaminants.

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