EPJ Web of Conferences 48, 00007 (2013)
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/20134800007

Preparation, properties and application of sapphire single-crystal fibers grown by the EFG method

¹ CRYTUR, Palackého 175, 511 01 Turnov, Czech Republic
² Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Bøehová 7, 115 19 Prague, Czech Republic

Abstract

Sapphire – the single crystal of aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) – is one of the most important artificially produced materials. The sapphire fibres studied were grown in Crytur using the “edge-defined film-fed growth” (EFG) technique. Their unique physical and chemical properties can be employed in various applications. Due to their high refractive index and a broad transmission band spanning the ultraviolet, visible and infrared bands, sapphire fibres are perfect waveguides in harsh environments. The current major applications are Er:YAG laser beam delivery and pyrometric and spectrometric measurements in furnaces, combustion engines, etc. In this paper we summarize an adjustment of the EFG method to grow thin filaments by giving possible molybdenum die designs. We investigated the fibres using an optical microscope and measured their transmission of an Er:YAG laser beam (2.94 μm). The attenuation of the tested samples is approximately 0.1 dB/cm.