Measurements show that single-mode waveguides can be constructed which have radiation losses of about 7 dB/km—very close to the intrinsic material scattering loss. These waveguides, with total losses between 60 and 70 dB/km, have permitted the measurement of bending losses which become dominant at radii of curvature of a few centimeters. An approximate theory based on bending a rectangular guide appears to represent the circular waveguide results very well.

This paper reports on some theoretical and experimental investigations of the radial refractive index gradient that maximizes the information-carrying capacity of a multimode optical waveguide. The primary difference between this work and previous studies is that the dispersive nature of core and cladding materials is taken into consideration. This leads to a new expression for the index gradient parameter alpha(c) which characterizes the optimal profile. Using the best available refractive index data, it is found that in high-silica waveguides, the dispersive properties of the glasses significantly influence the pulse broadening of near-parabolic fibers, and that the parameter alpha(c) must be altered by 10-20% to compensate for dispersion differences between core and cladding glasses. These predictions are supported by pulse broadening measurements of two graded-index fibers. A comparison is made between the widths and shapes of measured pulses and pulses calculated using the WKB approximation and the near-field measurement of the index profiles. The good agreement found between theory and experiment not only supports the predictions made for the value of alpha(c), but demonstrates an ability to predict pulse broadening in fibers having general index gradients.

The fabrication of an extremely-low-loss glass optical waveguide, having as little as 4 dB/km total attenuation, has allowed interpretation of the absorption spectrum to a much greater degree than previously possible. It is shown that, beyond about 700 nm, intrinsic ultraviolet absorption will have no effect. Between 700 and 1100 nm, all absorption can be accounted for on the basis of OH to within ±0.7 dB/km. Marked reduction of the water content will leave the scattering as the major loss mechanism, thereby permitting total attenuations of about 2 dB/km.

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