title: Hollow polycarbonate fiber for Er:YAG laser light delivery.
abstract: We developed hollow fibers with polycarbonate (PC) capillaries for use as a supporting tube. The PC capillaries were prepared by using a glass-drawing technique. Hollow PC fibers are safer and more flexible than hollow glass fibers because no fragments are released when the fibers are broken in various applications. Inner coating layers of silver and cyclic olefin polymer (COP) enhanced the reflection rate at the Er:YAG laser light wavelength. Using these fibers, we attained low loss for Er:YAG laser light transmission. By adjusting the drawing temperature in the fabrication of the PC capillaries, we created a smooth inner surface and uniform PC capillaries. We also demonstrated low-loss properties for visible pilot beams.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakazawa
authors.forename: Yi-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.forename: Katsumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwai
authors.forename: Mitsunobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyagi
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D007834:Lasers; D011076:Polycarboxylate Cement / Q000737:chemistry*; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D011076:Polycarboxylate Cement; C005506:polycarbonate