Optical fiber for deep ultraviolet light

Deep ultraviolet optical fibers are fabricated using modified SiO/sub 2/ glasses containing 2000-ppm fluorine for the clad and 200 ppm for the core. The transmission at 193 nm is improved to more than 60%/m by optimizing the fiber drawing condition. The H/sub 2/-inpregnation into the fiber suppresses the degradation of the transmission by irradiation of ArF excimer laser (50 mJ/cm/sup 2//pulse). Further improvement may be expected by reducing oxygen-deficient center (I) defect generation in the drawing process.