Infrared alkali halide fibers.
Polycrystalline alkali halide fibers were fabricated using a hot extrusion technique. Core-clad fibers of KBr/KCl had losses as low as 0.1 dB/m at 10.6 microm, but the average loss for 8OO/100O-microm fiber was 0.69 dB/m. The salt fibers were coated with Teflon to minimize surface fracture from microcleavage cracks and to protect the fiber from contamination. The maximum output power we have obtained from the fiber is 67 W of cw CO(2) laser power. This corresponds to a power density of 13.3 kW/cm(2). The 100O-microm salt fiber has been bent into a 12-cm diam circle with a 5% reduction in transmission.
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Harrington