The hollow silver waveguide coated with cyclo-oxane polymers for delivery of infrared lasers

Hollow silver waveguides coated with four different thickness of cyclo-oxane polymer (COP) have been successfully manufactured for delivery of four infrared lasers, i.e. CO/sub 2/, CO, Er:YAG and Nd:YAG lasers. Their spectral losses were measured in visible wavelengths to identify the COP coating thickness, and in infrared wavelengths to characterise their infrared transmission. The result shows that the hollow waveguides have relatively low attenuation at individually designed thickness of the COP coating layer. Therefore, at an appropriate design of the coating thickness, the COP coated silver hollow waveguide can be used to transmit particular wavelengths of infrared radiation.