Optical fibers formed of aluminum borophosphate glass compositions

Claim 2

An optical fiber comprising: a core having a refractive index of between 1.47 and 1.58 and formed from a glass composition selected from the group consisting of: a. a high phosphate glass of a composition lying within the region of a ternary Al 2 O 3 -P 2 O 5 -B 2 O 3 composition diagram wherein said region is bounded by lines connecting the compositions 28 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -72 mole percent P 2 O 5 -0 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; 5 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -45 mole percent P 2 O 5 -50 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; 10 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -30 mole percent P 2 O 5 -60 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; and 42 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -58 mole percent P 2 O 5 -0 mole percent B 2 O 3 , and b. a low phosphate glass of a composition lying within the region of a ternary Al 2 O 3 -P 2 O 5 -B 2 O 3 composition diagram wherein said region is bounded by the isocomposition lines 2 and 18 mole percent P 2 O 5 30 and 70 mole percent Al 2 O 3 , and 20 and 60 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; and a cladding formed from a glass composition selected from the group consisting of said high phosphate glass and said low phosphate glass and having a refractive index at least 0.007 less than that of the central portion of the core.

Claim 3

The optical fiber of claim 1 having a core formed of said high phosphate glass composition.

Claim 4

The optical fiber of claim 1 having a core formed of said low phosphate glass composition.

Claim 5

The optical fiber of claim 1 wherein the core is formed from said high phosphate glass and the cladding is formed from said low phosphate glass.

Claim 6

The optical fiber of claim 1 wherein the core is formed from said low phosphate glass and the cladding is formed from said high phosphate glass.

Claim 7

An optical fiber comprising: a core having a refractive index of between 1.47 and 1.58 and formed from a material selected from the group consisting of: a. a mixture of a high phosphate glass of a composition lying within the region of a ternary Al 2 O 3 -P 2 O 5 -B 2 O 3 composition diagram wherein said region is bounded by lines connecting the compositions 28 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -72 mole percent P 2 O 5 -0 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; 5 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -45 mole percent P 2 O 5 -50 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; 10 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -30 mole percent P 2 O 5 -60 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; 42 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -58 mole percent P 2 O 5 - 0 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; and an oxide modifier; and b. a mixture of a low phosphate glass of a composition lying within the region of a ternary Al 2 O 3 -P 2 O 5 -B 2 O 3 composition diagram wherein said region is bounded by the isocomposition lines 2 and 18 mole percent P 2 O 5 , 30 and 70 mole percent Al 2 O 3 , 20 and 60 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; and an oxide modifier, said oxide modifier selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , MgO, CaO, TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , Na 2 O, CdO, ZnO, SnO 2 , and CeO 2 , present in an amount less than 40 mole percent; and a cladding formed from a glass composition selected from the group consisting of said high phosphate glass and said low phosphate glass having a refractive index at least 0.007 less than that of the central portion of the core.

Claim 8

An optical fiber comprising: a core having a refractive index of between 1.47 and 1.58 and formed from a material selected from the group consisting of: a. a mixture of a high phosphate glass of a composition lying within the region of a ternary Al 2 O 3 -P 2 O 5 -B 2 O 3 composition diagram wherein said region is bounded by lines connecting the compositions 28 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -72 mole percent P 2 O 5 -0 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; 5 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -45 mole percent P 2 O 5 -50 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; 10 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -30 mole percent P 2 O 5 -60 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; 42 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -58 mole percent P 2 O 5 - 0 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; and an oxide modifier; and b. a mixture of a low phosphate glass of a composition lying within the region of a ternary Al 2 O 3 -P 2 O 5 -B 2 O 3 composition diagram wherein said region is bounded by the isocomposition lines 2 and 18 mole percent P 2 O 5 , 30 and 70 mole percent Al 2 O 3 , 20 and 60 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; and an oxide modifier, said oxide modifier selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , MgO, CaO, TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , Na 2 O, CdO, ZnO, SnO 2 , and CeO 2 , present in an amount less than 40 mole percent; and a cladding formed from a glass composition selected from the group consisting of said high phosphate glass and said low phosphate glass having a refractive index at least 0.007 less than that of the central portion of the core.

Claim 9

An optical fiber comprising: a core having a refractive index of between 1.47 and 1.58 and formed from a glass composition selected from the group consisting of: a. a high phosphate glass of a composition lying within the region of a ternary Al 2 O 3 -P 2 O 5 -B 2 O 3 composition diagram wherein said region is bounded by lines connecting the compositions 28 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -72 mole percent P 2 O 5 -0 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; 5 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -45 mole percent P 2 O 5 -50 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; 10 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -30 mole percent P 2 O 5 -60 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; and 42 mole percent Al 2 O 3 - 58 mole percent P 2 O 5 -0 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; and b. a low phosphate glass of a composition lying within the region of a ternary Al 2 O 3 -P 2 O 5 -B 2 O 3 composition diagram wherein said region is bounded by the isocomposition lines 2 and 18 mole percent P 2 O 5 , 30 and 70 mole percent Al 2 O 3 , and 20 and 60 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; and a cladding formed from a material selected from the group consisting of a mixture of said high phosphate glass and an oxide modifier, a mixture of said low phosphate glass and an oxide modifier, said oxide modifier selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , MgO, CaO, TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , Na 2 O, CdO, ZnO, SnO 2 and CeO 2 , present in an amount less than 40 mole percent.

Claim 10

An optical fiber comprising: a core having a refractive index of between 1.47 and 1.58 and formed from a glass composition selected from the group consisting of: a. a high phosphate glass of a composition lying within the region of a ternary Al 2 O 3 -P 2 O 5 -B 2 O 3 composition diagram wherein said region is bounded by lines connecting the compositions 28 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -72 mole percent P 2 O 5 -0 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; 5 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -45 mole percent P 2 O 5 -50 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; 10 mole percent Al 2 O 3 -30 mole percent P 2 O 5 -60 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; and 42 mole percent Al 2 O 3 - 58 mole percent P 2 O 5 -0 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; and b. a low phosphate glass of a composition lying within the region of a ternary Al 2 O 3 -P 2 O 5 -B 2 O 3 composition diagram wherein said region is bounded by the isocomposition lines 2 and 18 mole percent P 2 O 5 , 30 and 70 mole percent Al 2 O 3 , and 20 and 60 mole percent B 2 O 3 ; and a cladding formed from a material selected from the group consisting of a mixture of said high phosphate glass and an oxide modifier, a mixture of said low phosphate glass and an oxide modifier, said oxide modifier selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , MgO, CaO, TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , Na 2 O, CdO, ZnO, SnO 2 and CeO 2 , present in an amount less than 40 mole percent.