DIELECTRIC OPTICAL WAVEGUIDES

摘要

A particular range of glass compositions in the soda-boro-silicate glass system has been found to be particularly suitable for ultra-low loss dielectric optical waveguides. The composition range is indicated in FIG. 1 of the specification. By preparing such glasses in a reducing atmosphere (0-20% CO in CO2) and adding about 1% As2 O3 to the melt attenuation coefficients due to copper and iron can be minimised. The water content of the glass can be reduced by bubbling dry CO in CO2 through the molten glass. Glasses containing less than 30% Na2O by weight have the lowest losses. Using glasses of this type dielectric optical waveguides having an insertion loss of less than 14 dBKm<->1 have been made.