Abstract

Very high interest in making a low-loss fiber for the infrared has been stimulated by important applications in optical communication, surgery, cutting, welding, and heat treatment. The leaky waveguide is one of the most promising types of future fiber in the infrared region where low-loss materials are not available or not suitable for making fibers (i.e., CO₂ laser light λ = 10.6 μm). In this paper a comparative model of a He–Ne laser beam and an oxide glass leaky hollow fiber for a CO₂ laser light beam and a chalcogenide glass leaky hollow fiber are studied. Measurements of attenuation, dependence of output power on diameter and angle, and the angular dependence of output angle vs input angle were made. The experimental data were compared with theoretical calculations, and the critical value of the wall thickness for minimum attenuation is given.

© 1986 Optical Society of America

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