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Glass: The carrier of light—Part II—A brief look into the future of optical fiber
Author(s) -
Ballato John,
Dragic Peter D.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of applied glass science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.383
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 2041-1294
pISSN - 2041-1286
DOI - 10.1111/ijag.15844
Subject(s) - design for manufacturability , optical fiber , materials science , the renaissance , optical materials , nanotechnology , engineering physics , fiber , maturity (psychological) , telecommunications , process engineering , computer science , optoelectronics , mechanical engineering , engineering , composite material , political science , history , law , art history
Glass optical fibers have reached a scale and commercial maturity that few, if any, other material and form can claim. Furthermore, optical fibers not only enable a remarkably broad range of applications but are, themselves, unique tools for fundamental studies into light‐matter interactions. That said, despite such ubiquity and global impact, increasing demands from existing systems, coupled with new expectations from novel emerging technologies, are necessitating a remarkably creative renaissance in optical fiber materials, structures, and processing methodologies. This paper, a follow‐on to a previous historical retrospective [Ballato and Dragic, Int. J. Appl. Glass Sci. 7, 413 (2016)], discusses current and future trends, recent advances in optical fiber materials, processing and properties, and muses about their forthcoming prospects and areas for further study and development. Specifically, optical fibers employed in present and future communications, sensors, and laser systems are discussed along with material innovations that could yield revolutionary advances in performance or manufacturability.