British Telecommunications Public Limited Company

Steven T Davey

Daryl Szebesta

John R Williams

Animesh Jha

Wayne George Jordan

Benjamin J Ainslie

Robert M Percival

The surface quality of halide, preferably fluoride, articles, e.g., articles used in the preparation of halide fibers is improved by cleaning the surface with an aqueous etchant and thereafter removing the etchant by washing the surface with methanol. The aqueous etchant is preferably a solution which contains hydrochloric acid and zirconium oxychloride.

Etching a halide glass tube, removing the etchant, and forming an optical fiber

Halide glass compositions

The surface quality of halide, preferably fluoride, articles, e.g. articles used in the preparation of halide fibres is improved by cleaning the surface with an aqueous etchant and thereafter removing the etchant by washing the surface with methanol. The aqueous etchant is preferably a solution which contains hydrochloric acid and zirconium oxychloride.

Surface treatment of halide glass articles

Optical amplifier and laser

Halide glass compositions and optical circuits and methods employing same

Glass fibre suitable for use as the core in fibre lasers and/or amplifiers has a core which consists of a continuous glass phase and a dispersed phase of crystallites. The preferred crystallites are the oxides and phosphates of rare earth metals, e.g. Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3 and NdP.sub.5 O.sub.14. The small size concentration and distribution of the crystallites keeps the attenuation down to acceptable levels.

Optical wave guides

Growing community of inventors

Ipswich, United Kingdom

Steven T Davey