Patent ID: 6499318
Filing Date: 2002-12-31
Classification: C03C,G02B

Abstract:
A method of making a glass optical waveguide resistant to hydrogen-induced losses for use in a hydrogen-containing environment comprising the steps of:forming said glass optical waveguide, said waveguide having sites prone to react with hydrogen (H2) and form hydroxy (OH) radicals; and before said waveguide is used in said hydrogen-containing environment, disposing said waveguide in a deuterium-containing environment containing deuterium at a partial pressure of 10 atmospheres or less and heating said waveguide to a temperature in the range 50Â° C. to 200Â° C. for a time so that deutedum occupies a sufficient portion of said sites to inhibit the formation of hydroxy (OH) radicals and render said waveguide resistant to hydrogen-induced losses, such that a 20 m length of said waveguide is calculated to incur over a period of 25 years in said hydrogen-containing environment a loss change of less than 0.1 dB at the 1.55 micrometer wavelength, wherein said step of disposing said waveguide in a deuterium-containing environment to render said waveguide resistant to hydrogen-induced losses is performed in the absence of UV treatment.