Specialty Optical Fibers Handbook

Many of these applications take advantage of unique properties of silica-

based glasses, such as excellent optical transmission from ultraviolet (UV) to

near-infrared wavelengths (with some of the lowest losses possible), isotropy of

optical properties of the glass, excellent refractive index homogeneity with a low

nonlinear refractive index, small strain birefringence, a very low coefficient of

thermal expansion, very high thermal stability, very high chemical and environ-

mental durability, high mechanical strength, and resistance to radiation. Al-

though the field is by no means new, quickly developing military and

commercial applications, particularly involving high-power lasers and ampli-

fiers, put new and demanding requirements on quality