Drawing optical fibers: elongating bubbles, breaking nanoparticles

Description

Optical fibers are the basis for applications that have grown considerably in recent years (telecommunications, sensors, fiber lasers, etc). To fulfill the characteristics required for these applications, optical fibers are obtained by drawing high-purity silica-based preforms. This drawing step is usually assumed to be a homothetic transformation of the preform. However, at this stage, the glass is heated at temperature higher than its softening temperature. Then the glass flows which can induce the transformation of heterogeneities. In this presentation, we highlight the elongation of bubbles and even break up of oxide nanoparticles during the drawing process. These phenomena allow new route to prepare optical fibers with light transport induced by transverse Anderson localization of light or new amplifying properties.

Abstract

International audience

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