Infrared Fiber Systems, Inc.

Nicholas Garito

Danh C Tran

Reza Mossadegh

Mohamad Farid

Improved fluoride glass optical fibers are produced by a process introducing several improvements in the production of fluoride glass preforms and the drawing of fibers therefrom. Reduced bubble formation and crystallization are obtained by vertically spinning a fluoride glass melt within a glass cladding tube at a high rotational speed, or alternatively, pouring a flouride glass core melt into a cladding tube while slowly raising the mold from an inclined position to a vertical position, or alternatively, introducing a core tube inside a cladding tube. The production of fibers is enhanced if at least one production phase, i.e., preform formation or fiber drawing, is conducted in an atmosphere containing reactive gases that scavenge molecules that could otherwise react with, hydrolyze and oxidize the fluoride glass. The disclosure also describes several devices uniquely useful in the process of the present invention. In another aspect of the present invention, fluoride glass fibers may be clad with a fluoropolymer which is coated with a polymerizable resin.

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Fairfax Station, VA, United States of America

Nicholas Garito