Open AccessBinary III-V semiconductor core optical fiber
Author(s) -
John Ballato,
Thomas Hawkins,
Paul Foy,
Colin D. McMillen,
Laura Burka,
Jason Reppert,
Ramakrishna Podila,
Apparao M. Rao,
R. Rice
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.004972
Subject(s) - materials science , hard clad silica optical fiber , all silica fiber , optical fiber , cladding (metalworking) , semiconductor , plastic clad silica fiber , core (optical fiber) , optoelectronics , indium antimonide , plastic optical fiber , optics , fiber , fiber optic sensor , composite material , physics
For the first time to the best of our knowledge a glass-clad optical fiber comprising a crystalline binary III-V semiconductor core has been fabricated. More specifically, a phosphate glass-clad fiber containing an indium antimonide (InSb) core was drawn using a molten core approach. The core was found to be highly crystalline with some oxygen and phosphorus diffusing in from the cladding glass. While optical transmission measurements were unable to be made, most likely due to free carrier absorption associated with the conductivity of the core, this work constitutes a proof-of-concept that optical fibers comprising semiconductor cores of higher crystallographic complexity than previously realized can be drawn using conventional fiber fabrication techniques. Such binary semiconductors may open the door to future fiber-based nonlinear devices.