Materials Science Forum, Vol.480, 323-327, 2005
Gamma and UV radiation-induced color centers in optical fibers
Radiation-induced losses and paramagnetic centers were investigated in phosphorus-doped and P-free multimode germanosilicate optical fibers after gamma-rays (similar to 1 MeV) and ultraviolet (5 eV) exposures. After both types of irradiation, the same defects seem to be responsible of the fiber absorption in the spectral range 400 to 1650 nm. In particular, the P(1) centers and the Phosphorus Oxygen Hole centers are created in both cases in the phosphorus-doped fibers and explain the high permanent radiation-induced attenuation levels observed in this fiber type. Luminescence and electron spin resonance measurements (77 K, similar to 9.38 GHz) on irradiated samples confirm that the GeE', SiE' and NBOHC defects are also generated in the different irradiated samples. From this study, it seems that the pertinence of a multimode fiber for nuclear space or civil applications could be estimated through low-cost ultraviolet measurements.