Abstract
ABSTRACT Sapphire and fluoride glass fiber optics were tested for their ability todeliver pulsed infrared laser energy. Commercial fluorozirconate fibers werefound to experience laser4nduced aging at fluences far below their measuredlaser damage thresholds. Irradiation of these fibers with even modest fluences(30 mJ/cm2) of Er:YAG laser radiation at 2.94 m wavelength (200 j.ts pulses at 6Hz) caused pitting and melting of the end-faces within 30 minutes. A tunablefree electron laser was used to show that this deterioration is directly related tothe absorption of radiation near 3 p.m wavelength by adsorbed water on the fiberfaces. Sapphire fibers did not show any evidence of laser-induced aging. 1. INTRODUCTION Fluorozirconate glass fibers have found widespread application in theareas of remote spectroscopy, temperature sensing, thermal imaging and laserpower delivery.1 These infrared-transmitting fibers have a demonstrated ability to deliver high energy pulses from the Er:YAG laser.2- Fibers with core
Published Version
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