Mechanisms of hydrogen-induced losses in silica-based optical fibers

The mechanisms of hydrogen-induced losses in silica-based fibers due to reaction are analyzed, and novel experimental results are presented. The mechanisms of hydrogen reaction with a glass structure were studied and found to be divided into two groups. One was responsible for the reaction with glass networks, not defect centers, by which the increases of the short-wavelength loss edge (SLE), hydroxyl group (OH), and long-wavelength loss edge (LLE) were caused at elevated temperature. It is proposed that the second group is the reaction with diamagnetic defect centers ( identical to Si:), which are induced by the drawing process and cause excess absorption at 0.63 mu m. The room-temperature reaction causes the growth of OH and the generation of an absorption peak near 1.52 mu m.<
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