With the goal to extend applications of highly photosensitive photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass from bulk glass components to the fiber optic platform, we have successfully fabricated single material fibers and step index fibers from PTR type glasses. The fibers were drawn from rod-in-tube preforms which have been prepared using specialty diamond tools for shaping and polishing of the glass materials. We measured attenuations of less than 0.1 dB/cm in our PTR glass fibers. Strong fiber Bragg gratings were inscribed into the novel fibers demonstrating the fibers photosensitivity. High grating strength of up to 20 dB were reached and maintained even at 12 hour exposure to temperatures above 400 °C. Our results open exciting new avenues for the development of holographic PTR glass fiber optic components which may be applied in fiber optic devices that require high temperature stability and high optical power levels.
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