Lessons Learned in the Manufacturing of Radiation-Resistant Optical Fiber

The losses induced by ionizing radiation in a variety of fiber-optic waveguides were investigated to determine the factors influencing radiation resistance. Measurements were made at various temperatures on allglass fibers fabricated with pure silica and dopedsilica cores. Germanium-doped silica-core fibers were found to have lower radiation induced losses at temperatures greater than -54°C than those observed in pure silica-core fibers. The radiation-induced losses are discussed in terms of cladding dopant, cladding thickness, and core dopant concentration.