Phosphate glass fiber for fusion-splicing to silica glass fiber

Abstract

A composition of phosphate-based glass fiber capable of being fused directly to a silica-based glass fiber includes from about 60 mole % to about 75 mole % P 2 O 5 , from about 8 mole % to about 30 mole % X 2 0 3 , from about 0.01 mole % to about 25 mole % of R 2 O. X is selected from the group of Al, B, La, Sc, Y and combinations thereof. R is selected from the group of Li, Na, K and combinations thereof. Optionally, the phosphate-based glass fiber may include 0.5 to 10 mole % MO, where M is selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, and combinations thereof. The composition preferably further includes from about 0.5 mole % to about 15 mole % of an additional component from the group of Si, Ge, Pb, Te and combinations thereof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of fusing a silica glass fiber to a phosphate glass fiber, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a phosphate glass fiber capable of amplifying a signal and having a composition comprising from about 60 mole % to about 75 mole % P 2 O 5 , and from about 8 mole % to about 30 mole % X 2 O 3 , from about 0.01 mole % to about 25 mole % of R 2 O, and from about 0.01 to 8.0 mole % of a lasing ion, and wherein X is selected from Al, B, La, Sc, Y and combinations thereof, and R is selected from Li, Na, K and combinations thereof, and    fusing said phosphate glass fiber component directly to said silica glass fiber.    
     
     
         2 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber having from 0.5 mole % to about 15 mole % of a component comprising Si, Ge, Pb, Te, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber having about 0.5 mole % to about 10 mole % of MO, wherein M is selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said lasing ion is selected from cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), lutetium (Lu), copper (Cu), and chromium (Cr), and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a refractive index from about 1.53 to about 1.55.  
     
     
         6 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has an Abbe Number from about 63.5 to about 65.0.  
     
     
         7 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a non-linear refractive index from about 1.19×10 −13  esu to about 1.23×10 −13  esu.  
     
     
         8 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a thermal expansion coefficient from about 70×10 −7 /°C. to about 84 ×10 −7 /°C.  
     
     
         9 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a glass transition temperature from about 440° C. to about 515° C.  
     
     
         10 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a deformation temperature from about 480° C. to about 535° C.  
     
     
         11 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a thermal conductivity from about 0.8 w/mk to about 0.9 w/mk.  
     
     
         12 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a density from about 2.6 g/cc to about 3.0 g/cc.  
     
     
         13 . A method of fusing a silica glass fiber to a phosphate glass fiber, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a phosphate glass fiber capable of amplifying a signal and having a composition comprising from about 60 mole % to about 75 mole % P 2 O 5 , from about 8 mole % to about 30 mole % X 2 O 3 , from about 0.01 mole % to about 25 mole % of R 2 O, from about 0.01 to 8.0 mole % of a lasing ion, from about 0.5 mole % to about 15 mole % of a component comprising Si, Ge, Pb, Te, and combinations thereof, wherein X is selected from Al, B, La, Sc, Y and combinations thereof, and R is selected from Li, Na, K and combinations thereof;    and fusing said phosphate glass fiber component directly to said silica glass fiber.    
     
     
         14 . The method set forth in  claim 13 , further comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber having about 0.5 mole % to about 10 mole % of MO, wherein M is selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The method set forth in  claim 13 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said lasing ion is selected from cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), lutetium (Lu), copper (Cu), and chromium (Cr), and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The method set forth in  claim 13 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a refractive index from about 1.53 to about 1.55.  
     
     
         17 . The method set forth in  claim 13 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has an Abbe Number from about 63.5 to about 65.0.  
     
     
         18 . The method set forth in  claim 13 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a non-linear refractive index from about 1.19×10 −13  esu to about 1.23×10 −13  esu.  
     
     
         18 . The method set forth in  claim 13 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a thermal expansion coefficient from about 70×10 −7 /°C. to about 84×10 −7 /°C.  
     
     
         19 . The method set forth in  claim 13 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a glass transition temperature from about 440° C. to about 515° C.  
     
     
         20 . The method set forth in  claim 13 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a deformation temperature from about 480° C. to about 535° C.  
     
     
         21 . The method set forth in  claim 13 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a thermal conductivity from about 0.8 w/mk to about 0.9 w/mk.  
     
     
         22 . The method set forth in  claim 13 , comprising providing a phosphate glass fiber, wherein said glass fiber has a density from about 2.6 g/cc to about 3.0 g/cc.