Newsroom
What is a Radiation-Hardened Fiber?
Radiation-hardened fiber is an optical fiber specifically designed to maintain its optical performance when exposed to ionizing radiation. Compared with standard optical fibers, radiation-hardened fibers are engineered to minimize radiation-induced degradation, particularly Radiation-Induced Attenuation (RIA).
They are used in environments where conventional fibers may experience significant optical losses or performance degradation, including space, nuclear facilities, and other harsh radiation environments.
HOW a Radiation-Hardened Fiber Works
Radiation-hardened fibers use carefully selected materials and fiber designs to limit the defects created by ionizing radiation and preserve optical transmission. Their resistance to radiation depends on factors such as fiber composition, dopants, wavelength, radiation dose, and operating conditions.
Radiation exposure
The fiber operates in an environment exposed to ionizing radiation.
Radiation interaction
Radiation interacts with the glass and can create defects that absorb or scatter light, increasing optical attenuation.
Radiation resistance
The fiber composition and manufacturing process are optimized to reduce these radiation-induced effects, maintaining lower attenuation and more stable optical performance over the required radiation dose.
