We first taught the SPIE short course from which this book is adapted in May 1984. We agreed to teach the course for two reasons: first, to explain and demonstrate the potential of IR fiber technology and to encourage its application, and second, because it afforded us the opportunity to pull together and review the many different infrared fiber optic technologies.
Due to the diversity of applications and the many different IR fiber technologies under development, this Tutorial Text necessarily covers a lot of material. A general review of the fundamental principles of propagation, attenuation, and dispersion as they relate to dielectric and hollow waveguides made of oxide, halide, or chalcogenide glasses and metals is the starting point. This is intended to allow the reader to move through the chapters on each fiber technology and its applications recognizing its advantages, disadvantages, the relative state of the art, and its future potential. The book moves from the fundamentals through materials, fabrication, physical properties, and finally applications
. As an adaptation from a short course, the book gives a complete overview of the entire field but often with brevity. The general level of the book is intended to allow someone new to the field to gain a useful insight, as well as someone established in the field to have access to a comprehensive review of the different IR fiber optic technologies.
