发电1132 白雪鹏.docVIP

Transmission of Infrared Laser Radiation through Silver-Halide Optical Fibers during Repeated Plastic Deformation Abstract The infrared transmission of polycrystalline mixed silver-halide optical fibers was studied during repeated mechanical plastic bending of the fibers. Plastic bending is useful for various applications, and is not shown by other available types of fibers. The lifetime of the fibers was measured and characterized both optically and mechanically. Optical failure lifetime depends on composition, going through a maximum at AgClBr composition, whereas the lifetime to mechanical fracture is not very sensitive to composition. The behavior and measured values are discussed in terms of the low-cycle fatigue phenomenon. I. Introduction Silver-wide infrared transmitting optical fibers have been produced at our laboratory for the past few years. Mixed compositions of AgClBr are grown from the melt as large crystal ingots. The crystals are then extruded to form fibers in lengths of meters and diameters of around 1 mm, with a structure of core. During extrusion the crystals are highly plastically deformed, and the resulting fibers consist of polycrystalline material. Details of the fibers’ optical and mechanical properties have already been published. They transmit in the mid-IR spectral region of 2-20 Fm, with losses for the transmission of CO2 laser radiation of about 0.2 dB/m. Their ultimate tensile strength is about 90 MPa, and they are nontoxic, and have an acceptably low sensitivity to UV light. Various applications of these fibers have been investigated and demonstrated. They include infrared spectroscopy, radiometry, and high-power transmission, especially of the CO2 laser for medical applications. Mechanical resistance of optical fibers has been a subject of extensive research. The silver-halide crystalline fibers are very ductile and plastic in their nature. Consequently their behavior differs greatly from glass-type fibers, whose mechanical r