Abstract
The molten core method, whereby a precursor core phase melts at the draw temperature of the cladding glass that encapsulates it, has proven to be a remarkably versatile approach to realize novel optical fibers. Employed globally for both scientific inquiry and practical applications, it is arguably the only approach that leads to long lengths of novel material fiber with both crystalline and glassy cores. This article reviews the history of the process, the ever-broadening range of compositions, the unique applications that have been enabled, and provides a perspective on current challenges and future opportunities.
Highlights
In order to circumvent the aforementioned limitations with silica, new materials are required that can be fabricated into a fiber waveguide geometry
The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques used to fabricate the preforms from which silica-based fibers are drawn are known to be fairly restrictive in terms of the glass compositions they permit (Ballato and Dragic, 2013)
The production of advanced optical fibers based on novel core materials that meet present and future demands will require new approaches, in terms of the preform fabrication and in the drawing procedures
Summary
The focus of this article is the molten core method of fiber fabrication, which has, over the past 25 years, proven to be remarkably versatile for the production of a wide variety of novel multicomponent all-glass optical fibers as well as practical crystalline core semiconductor optical fibers. These novel core fibers are expected to find application in a wide range of areas, such as high power fiber laser development, surgical probes, and terahertz waveguides for security measures
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