Preparation and investigation of [GeSe4]100−xIx glasses as promising materials for infrared fiber sensors

The glasses of [GeSe4]100−xIx (x = 1, 3, 5, 8, 10) compositions are prepared; their thermal properties, transparency in the mid-IR range and stability against crystallization are investigated. The glass transition temperature (Tg) in this system decreases monotonically with increasing iodine content from the value of Tg = 176 °C at x = 1 to Tg = 129 °C at x = 10. It has been determined by X-ray diffraction method that the addition of iodine reduces the volume fraction of the crystalline phase in glasses after annealing at 350 °C. Using a single crucible technique, the rod of [GeSe4]95I5 glass was drawn into a single-index fiber of 300 μm diameter and 10 m length. The optical losses were 2-3 dB/m in the spectral range 2.5-8 μm; the minimum optical losses were 1.7 dB/m at a wavelength of 5.5 μm. The content of impurity hydrogen in the form of Se-H in the fiber was about 3.6 ppm(wt), impurity oxygen in the form of Ge-O is 1 ppm(wt). The possibility of use of such [GeSe4]95I5 glass single-index fiber for infrared analysis of liquids by example of crude oil and water solutions of acetone has been demonstrated.