Mechanical Properties of Phosphate Glass Optical Fibers

摘要

In this work, step-index 40/125 μm diameter optical fibers produced from two slightly different lithium phosphate glasses were subjected to mechanical characterization. Tensile tests were carried out on fibers with gage length from 10 to 150 mm, allowing for the determination of the failure stress (ranging from ≈200 to 400 MPa) and the elastic modulus (60 GPa). Some tests were also performed with the fiber "immersed" in water; an important subcritical crack growth effect was pointed out, and a fatigue susceptibility parameter (n) equal to 11.4 was determined. The analysis of fracture mirror allows an estimated fracture toughness equal to 0.5 MPa m~(0.5).