SGER: Fabrication of Polymeric Materials with Specialized Optical Characteristics

摘要：本提案旨在资助具有特定光学折射率的聚合物光纤的创新性探索性研究。通过控制光折射率分布，可以减小信号的模态色散，将传输速度从几Mbit/sec提高到Gbit/sec。该项目的目标是开发一种连续拉伸方法，可用于高效地制造渐变折射率纤维。首席研究员建议使用光漂白来控制光学指数。当纤维被拉伸时，氧气或空气被允许扩散到纤维中。然后用紫外线照射纤维。由于光纤外区的氧浓度较高，因此光漂白发生的速率较高，导致光学指数在空间上发生变化。我们将进行实验来探索这个制造的概念。

ABSTRACT This proposal is to fund innovative exploratory research on producing polymer optical fibers with specified optical index profiles. By controlling the optical index profile, modal dispersion of the signal can be minimized and the speed of transmission can be increased from several Mbit/sec to the Gbit/sec range. The goal of the project is to develop a continuous drawing method that can be used to fabricate graded-index fibers efficiently. The Principal Investigator proposes to use photobleaching to control the optical index. As fibers are draw, oxygen or air is allowed to diffuse into them. The fibers is then irradiated by UV light. Because the concentration of oxygen at the outer region of the fiber is higher, photobleaching occurs at a higher rate, resulting in a spatially varying optical index. Experiments will be conducted to explore this concept of fabrication.