About This Webinar
This webinar discusses advanced preform and fiber measurement techniques for specialty fibers, with a particular focus on fibers produced using the POD (plasma outside deposition) process. In this process, fluorine-doped fused silica is applied to the outside of a high-purity core rod made of synthetic quartz glass to produce the refractive index step required for light guiding. Depending on the specific application wavelengths of these specialty fibers, various synthetic fused silica materials are available as core materials, which enable the production of specialty fiber preforms tailored to the application. The session begins with a brief introduction to the manufacturing process and typical applications of specialty fibers, followed by an in-depth examination of the characterization of the preforms and the resulting fibers.
Key analytical techniques, such as the refractive index profile analysis and the determination of crucial geometric parameters, such as ovality and bow in preforms, are discussed. The characterization of attenuation; the deterioration of fiber transmission induced by high-energy UV light (solarization); and focal ratio degradation — an undesirable broadening of the beam profile in fibers — are examined in more detail. Particular attention is paid to the metrological challenges that arise during product characterization. Participants gain insights into state-of-the-art measurement technologies and methods that are key to the precise development and implementation of specialty fibers for advanced applications. The goal of the webinar is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the metrology required to evaluate and improve the performance and quality of specialty fiber preforms.
Who should attend:
R&D scientists, engineers, manufacturers, and educators involved in fiber optics, lasers, spectroscopy, and optical components. Those working in industries such as aerospace, biophotonics, defense, medical, and semiconductors.
About the presenters:
Dörte Schönfeld serves as project lead focused on innovation at Heraeus Conamic in Kleinostheim, Germany. She studied physics and then integrated optics and surface analysis after joining the photonics department of Fraunhofer IOF Jena. Since 1997, she’s worked with Heraeus, focused first on metrology for microlithography lens blanks and was awarded the first prize of the Heraeus Process Innovation Award in 2013. In 2015, she began working with the research and development team for specialty fiber optics as project leader of a European Union-funded project for the development of a rare-earth-doped bulk silica for laser fibers. Current studies are concentrated on the development of metrology for fused silica preform and fiber characterization.
Andreas Langner, Ph.D. is the scientific director of specialty fiber at Heraeus Conamic in Kleinostheim, Germany. He studied physics, completed his doctorate, and began his career in specialty fiber optics in 2005 as head of several publicly funded projects to develop rare-earth-doped silica glasses for laser fibers, for which he was awarded first prize at the Heraeus Product Innovation Award in 2013. During his career in innovation, he acquired extensive knowledge in development, manufacturing, and characterization of specialty fiber products.
About Heraeus Conamic:
Heraeus Conamic is a technology leader and a leading-edge material specialist for the manufacturing and processing of the industry’s highest purity fused silica and other high-end materials, such as ceramics and composites. With locations in Europe, the U.S., and Asia, Heraeus Conamic offers fused silica and ceramic products ranging from semi-finished goods to complex system components to custom-tailored solutions.