INVESTIGATION OF THE CORE CLAD INTERFACE OF COHERENT FIBER OPTIC DEVICES USING SECONDARY-ION MASS-SPECTROMETRY, SURFACE-ANALYSIS BY LASER IONIZATION, AND TRANSMISSION ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY

In fiber optics, the efficiency of light transmission depends on the p erfection of total internal reflection at the interface between the co re and clad of the fibers. Any loss due to light scattering at this in terface can reduce the efficiency of light transmission. In this inves tigation, secondary ion mass spectrometry, surface analysis by laser i onization, and transmission electron microscopy have been used to char acterize the interface between the core and clad of various glass syst ems used in coherent fiber optic devices. Interfaces with highly effic ient, total internal reflection result from ''compatible'' glass combi nations. Such systems have been found to have interface diffusion zone s considerably narrower than systems exhibiting poor compatibility.