Method of fabricating optical fiber or optical device doped with reduced metal ion and/or rare earth ion

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of fabricating an optical fiber or an optical device doped with reduced metal ion and/or rare earth ion, comprising steps of: forming a partially-sintered fine structure in a base material for fabricating the optical fiber or the optical device; soaking the fine structure into a doping solution containing a reducing agent together with metal ion and rare earth ion during a selected time; drying the fine structure in which the metal ion and/or rare ion are/is soaked; and heating the fine structure such that the fine structure is sintered.

1 . A method of fabricating an optical fiber or an optical device doped with reduced metal ion and/or rare earth ion, comprising steps of: 
 forming a partially-sintered fine structure in a base material for fabricating the optical fiber or the optical device;    soaking the fine structure into a doping solution containing a reducing agent together with metal ion and rare earth ion during a selected time;    drying the fine structure in which the metal ion and/or rare ion are/is soaked; and    heating the fine structure such that the fine structure is sintered.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reducing agent is hydrocarbon compounds.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the hydrocarbon compound is any one selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, glycerine, dextrin, benzene, phenol, hexane, toluene, stylene, and naphthalene.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , where the reducing agent is alkoxide compounds.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the alkoxide compound is any one selected from the group consisting of TEOS (tetraethyl orthosilicate), TMOS (tetramethyl orthosilicate), TEOC (tetraethyl orthocarbonate), and TMOC (tetramethyl orthocarbonate).  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal ion and/or rare earth ion is at least one selected from the group consisting of Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Al, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mu, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Tl, Pb, Bi and a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a base material for fabricating the optical fiber or the optical device has a basic composition comprising a silicon oxide or a composite oxide of a silicone oxide and an oxide; in which the oxide is at least one selected from the group consisting of germanium oxide (GeO 2 ), boron oxide (B 2 O 3 ), phosphorous oxide (P 2 O 5 ), and titanium oxide (TiO 2 ).  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a base material for fabricating the optical fiber or the optical device has a basic composition selected from silica (SiO 2 ), germanosilicate (SiO 2 —GeO 2 ), phosphorosilicate (SiO 2 —P 2 O 5 ), phosphoroger anosilicate (SiO 2 —GeO 2 —P 2 O 5 ), borosilicate (SiO 2 —B 2 O 3 ), borophosphorosilicate (SiO 2 —P 2 O—B 2 O 3 ), borogermanosilicate (SiO 2 —GeO 2 —B 2 O 3 ), titanosilicate (SiO 2 —TiO 2 ), phosphorotitanosilicate (SiO 2 —TiO 2 —P 2 O 5 ), or borotitanosilicate (SiO 2 —TiO 2 —B 2 O 3 ).  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the step of forming the partially-sintered fine structure in the base material is performed by a process selected from the group consisting of MCVD (modified chemical vapor deposition), VAD (vapor-phase axial deposition), VOD (outside vapor deposition), and FHD (flame hydrolysis deposition).  
     
     
         10 . A method of fabricating an optical fiber or an optical device doped with reduced metal particle and/or rare earth element, comprising steps of: 
 forming a partially-sintered fine structure in a base material for fabricating the optical fiber or the optical device;    soaking the fine structure into a doping solution containing a reducing agent having strong reduction potential together with metal ion and rare earth ion during a selected time,    drying the fine structure in which the metal ion and/or the rare earth ion is/are soaked; and    heating the fine structure such that the fine structure is sintered, thereby forming the metal particle and/or the rare earth elements.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the reducing agent is hydrocarbon compounds.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , where the reducing agent is alkoxide compounds.