CO2 laser annealed SiGe core optical fibers with radial Ge concentration gradients

CO2 laser annealing of SiGe core, glass-clad optical fibers is a powerful technique for the production of single-crystal cores with spatially varying Ge concentrations. Laser power, laser scan speed and cooling air flow alter the Ge distribution during annealing. In this work, near-single crystal fibers exhibiting a central axial feature with peak Ge concentration ∼15 at% higher than the exterior of the semiconductor core have been prepared. Preferential transmission of near infrared radiation through the Ge-rich region, and spectral data confirm its role as a waveguide within the semiconductor core. This proof-of-concept step toward crystalline double-clad structures is an important advancement in semiconductor core optical fibers made using the scalable molten core method