A REVIEW OF THE ROLE OF DSC ANALYSIS IN THE DESIGN OF FLUOROZIRCONATEGLASSES FOR FIBER OPTIC APPLICATIONS

The relatively poor thermal stability of fluorozirconate glasses is a major factor preventing the realisation of their true potential for fi bre optic applications. A range of methods based on both isothermal an d non-isothermal DSC techniques, which can be employed to evaluate the thermal stability of fluorozirconate glasses, are described. The rele vance of these thermal stability criteria to the design of fluorozirco nate compositions capable of yielding high quality optical fibres is d iscussed.