Process for treating waveguides, and waveguides obtainable by this process

摘要

A process for achieving long-term stability of optical transmission properties of waveguides made from high-purity, low-OH quartz glass containing defects, probably peroxyl bridges, comprises reacting these defects with deuterium molecules, which penetrate into the optical fibres, and whose reaction to form deuteroxyl groups is favoured by simultaneous or subsequent irradiation with light having a wavelength of between about 400 and about 650 nanometres, until the absorption at a wavelength of 1.7 microns has reached saturation.