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High-volume production of low-loss sapphire optical fibers by Saphikon EFG (edge-defined, film-fed growth) method

1998; SPIE; Volume: 3262; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1117/12.309487

1996-756X

Jeremiah J. Fitzgibbon, Joseph M. Collins,

Laser Design and Applications

Sapphire fibers grown using the Saphikon EFG technique have proven to be effective delivery systems for Erbium:YAG and Erbium:YSGG laser energy. A special emphasis has been given to the hard tissue dental application following the FDA approval of this procedure in May of 1997. A range of sensor applications also utilize these EFG sapphire fibers. Through the latter half of 1997, Saphikon has successfully transitioned the process from a research/pilot scale level to high volume production. Fiber losses as low as 0.2 dB/meter with an average of 1.5 dB/meter, which were first demonstrated on a research level in which tens of meters were produced, have now been sustained over thousands of meters in full scale production. Use of sapphire fibers in non-medical applications, erbium laser dentistry, and other medical procedures is discussed.