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Sapphire, i.e. single crystal aluminum oxide (Al203), is a material with high mechanical strength, chemical corrosion resistance, and good thermal conductivity, with a melting point of up to 2072°C. ZMSH can provide sapphire optical fibers with diameters of 75~500um, and tapered optical fibers are optional. Tapered optical fibers can ensure higher light transmission energy without sacrificing the flexibility of the optical fiber: for optical fibers with a diameter greater than 100um, PTFE sleeves or optical fiber connectors are optional, and other types of optical fibers are optional, such as AI203-doped, YAG-doped, and YAG-doped optical fibers.
Working Principle of Sapphire Optical Fiber
Sapphire optical fibers leverage their unique material properties and optical mechanisms to enable efficient light signal transmission in extreme environments. The core principles are outlined below:
Material & Fabrication
High-purity sapphire: Melts at 2072°C, resists corrosion/radiation, and withstands extreme temperatures (-269°C to 1900°C).
LHPG manufacturing: Laser-formed fibers (75–500 μm) with air-cladding for minimal optical loss.
Optical Mechanism
TIR: High refractive index (~1.76) core traps light efficiently (NA up to 1.4).
Low attenuation: 0.5–1.0 dB/m in near-IR for high-power laser transmission.
Key Advantages
Mechanical strength: 2200 MPa tensile strength, outperforms silica.
Environmental resilience: Stable in vacuum, radiation (100 kGy γ-ray), and chemical exposure.
Parameter | Specification |
---|---|
Crystal Orientation | C-axis aligned |
Melting Point | 2072°C |
Tensile Strength | 2200 MPa |
Laser Damage Threshold | 1.3 kJ/cm² @ 3μm wavelength |
Numerical Aperture (NA) | 0.45 (300μm fiber, 1m length) |
Attenuation | 0.5-1.0 dB/m (Near-IR band, 300μm fiber) |
Bending Loss | 3% @ φ3cm loop (100μm fiber) |
1. Ultra-High-Temp Industrial Sensing
Molten metal level monitoring in smelters
Real-time combustion diagnostics in jet engines
2. Deep-Space Optical Systems
Corrosion-resistant data links for Venus landers
Radiation-hardened signal transmission in nuclear-powered spacecraft
3. Advanced Medical Solutions
High-power laser ablation surgical probes
Multispectral imaging bundles for micro-endoscopes
4. Extreme Scientific Research
Plasma diagnostics in fusion reactors
In-situ spectral analysis under ultra-high pressure (DAC applications)
Q1: Key advantages over silica fibers?
A: Operates continuously at 1600°C for 500+ hours (vs. silica's 400°C/1hr limit) with 10× higher radiation resistance, making it ideal for nuclear/space applications.
Q2: How is sapphire brittleness addressed?
A: Proprietary Gradient Interface Technology features:
Titanium alloy stress-relief layer (prevents microbending losses)
Nanoscale surface polishing (defect density <0.1/cm²)