Effect of Radiodarkening on Optical Transmission Performance of Ytterbium-Doped Fibers

Esra Kendir Tekgül

doi:10.17776/csj.1859031

Effect of Radiodarkening on Optical Transmission Performance of Ytterbium-Doped Fibers

Abstract

The great success of optical fibers in telecommunications today has been extended to the success of their rare-earth doped versions in medical applications, sensing technologies, high-power lasers, and amplifiers. The advantages such as excellent beam quality, high power capability, and cost-effectiveness, are increased to be widespread in high technological applications. However, exposure to ionizing radiation leads to degradation of these properties, significantly restricting the deployment of optical fibers in radiation-rich environments such as nuclear power facilities and space applications. In the present study, ytterbium-doped optical fibers were irradiated with the Co-60 gamma source using total doses of 0.5, 1, 10, and 50 kGy at a dose rate of 1.19 kGy/h. Radiation-induced attenuation (RIA) was measured at room temperature before and after irradiation. Optical transmission spectra were recorded over a broad wavelength range from 300 to 1000 nm, and RIA values at selected wavelengths (450, 560, 625, and 730 nm) were extracted. After irradiation at a total dose of 50 kGy, the formation of dopant-related color centers, including Al-OHC, POHC, and NBOHC, was observed in the optical fibers. Post-irradiation recovery behavior was monitored over periods ranging from one to three weeks. Additionally, radiation-induced variations in the refractive index of the fiber core were investigated by measuring the numerical aperture (NA) of the fibers.

Keywords

Color centers, Co-60 gamma radiation, Radiation induced attenuation (RIA), Recovery, Yb-doped optic fibers

References

Alam, M., Abramczyk, J., Farroni, J., Manyam, U., & Guertin, D. (2006). Passive and active optical fibers for space and terrestrial applications. Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 6308. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1117/12.678087
O'Keeffe, S., Lewis, E., Santhanam, A., Winningham, A., & Rolland, J. (2009). Low dose plastic optical fibre radiation dosimeter for clinical dosimetry applications. SENSORS, 2009 IEEE.
Berghmans, F., Brichard, B., Fernandez Fernandez, A., Gusarov, A., Uffelen, M., & Girard, S. (2007). An Introduction to Radiation Effects on Optical Components and Fiber Optic Sensors. In (pp. 127-165). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6952-9_6
Friebele, E., Askins, C., Gingerich, M., & Long, K. (1984). Optical fiber waveguides in radiation environments, II. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 1(2-3), 355-369. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-583X(84)90092-2
Friebele, E., Griscom, D., & Sigel Jr, G. (1974). Defect centers in a germanium‐doped silica‐core optical fiber. Journal of Applied Physics, 45(8), 3424-3428. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1663795
Griscom, D. L., Gingerich, M. E., & Friebele, E. J. (1994). Model for the dose, dose-rate and temperature dependence of radiation-induced loss in optical fibers. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 41(3), 523-527. https://doi.org/10.1109/23.299793
Akchurin, N., & Wigmans, R. (2003). Quartz fibers as active elements in detectors for particle physics. Review of scientific instruments, 74(6), 2955-2972. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1570945
Dumanoglu, I., Akchurin, N., Akgun, U., Ayan, S., Bruecken, P., Eskut, E.,…Makonyi, K. (2002). Radiation-hardness studies of high OH− content quartz fibres irradiated with 500MeV electrons. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 490(3), 444-455. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-9002(02)01067-7
Gavrilov, V., Kuleshov, S., Litvintsev, D., Rusinov, V., Stolin, V., Ul’yanov, A.,…Zamyatin, A. (1994). Study of quartz fiber radiation hardness. In technical note CMS TN/94-324. CERN Geneva, Switzerland.
Girard, S., Keurinck, J., Boukenter, A., Meunier, J. P., Ouerdane, Y., Azaı,…Vié, M. (2004). Gamma-rays and pulsed X-ray radiation responses of nitrogen-, germanium-doped and pure silica core optical fibers. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 215(1), 187-195. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2003.08.028

Fox, B., Schneider, Z., Simmons-Potter, K., Thomes Jr, W., Meister, D., Bambha, R., & Kliner, D. (2007). Gamma radiation effects in Yb-doped optical fiber. Fiber Lasers IV: Technology, Systems, and Applications, 11
Tao, S., & Jayaprakash, A. (2009). Nanostructured scintillating optical fiber prepared via sol-gel technique for detecting gamma radiation. Optics letters, 34(20), 3244-3246. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.34.003244
Fu, X., Song, L., & Li, J. (2014). Radiation induced color centers in silica glasses of different OH content. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 330, 7-10. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2014.03.011
Dragic, P. D. (2008). Observation of NBOHC Excitation in Pulsed Yb-Doped Fiber Amplifiers. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 20(21), 1760-1762. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1109/LPT.2008.2004679
Griscom, D. L. (1985). Nature of defects and defect generation in optical glasses. Radiation Effects on Optical Materials, 15
Griscom, D. L. (2000). The natures of point defects in amorphous silicon dioxide. In Defects in SiO2 and related dielectrics: science and technology (pp. 117-159). Springer.
Hibino, Y., Hanafusa, H., & Sakaguchi, S. (1985). Formation of drawing-induced E'centers in silica optical fibers. Japanese journal of applied physics, 24(9R), 1117. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1143/JJAP.24.1117
Imai, H., Arai, K., Imagawa, H., Hosono, H., & Abe, Y. (1988). Two types of oxygen-deficient centers in synthetic silica glass. Physical Review B, 38(17), 12772. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.38.12772
Skuja, L. (2000). Optical properties of defects in silica. In Defects in SiO2 and related dielectrics: Science and Technology (pp. 73-116). Springer.
Stapelbroek, M., Griscom, D., Friebele, E., & Sigel Jr, G. (1979). Oxygen-associated trapped-hole centers in high-purity fused silicas. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 32(1-3), 313-326. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3093(79)90079-6
Griscom, D. L. (2001). Fractal kinetics of radiation-induced point-defect formation and decay in amorphous insulators: Application to color centers in silica-based optical fibers. Physical Review B, 64(17), 174201. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.64.174201
Arai, T., Ichii, K., Tanigawa, S., & Fujimaki, M. (2011). Gamma-radiation-induced photodarkening in ytterbium-doped silica glasses. Fiber Lasers VIII: Technology, Systems, and Applications,
Griscom, D. L. (1984). Characterization of three E'-center variants in X-and γ-irradiated high purity a-SiO2. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 1(2-3), 481-488. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-583X(84)90113-7
Rydberg, S. (2013). Radiation induced losses in ytterbium doped laser materials Mid Sweden University].
Lu, P., Bao, X., Kulkarni, N., & Brown, K. (1999). Gamma ray radiation induced visible light absorption in P-doped silica fibers at low dose levels. Radiation measurements, 30(6), 725-733. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S1350-4487(99)00233-4
Girard, S., Ouerdane, Y., Origlio, G., Marcandella, C., Boukenter, A., Richard, N.,…Bisutti, J. (2009). Radiation effects on silica-based preforms and optical fibers—I: Experimental study with canonical samples. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 55(6), 3473-3482. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2008.2007297
Giacomazzi, L., Martin-Samos, L., Alessi, A., Valant, M., Gunturu, K. C., Boukenter, A.,…Richard, N. (2018). Optical absorption spectra of P defects in vitreous silica. Optical Materials Express, 8(2), 385-400. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1364/OME.8.000385
Griscom, D. L., Friebele, E., Long, K., & Fleming, J. (1983). Fundamental defect centers in glass: electron spin resonance and optical absorption studies of irradiated phosphorus‐doped silica glass and optical fibers. Journal of Applied Physics, 54(7), 3743-3762. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1063/1.332591
Henschel, H., Kohn, O., Schmidt, H., Kirchhof, J., & Unger, S. (1997). Radiation-induced loss of rare earth doped silica fibres. RADECS 97. Fourth European Conference on Radiation and its Effects on Components and Systems (Cat. No. 97TH8294)
Mies, E., & Soto, L. (1985). Characterization of the radiation sensitivity of single-mode optical fibers. Proc. Int. Conf. Integrated Optics Optical Fiber Communication—Eur. Conf. Optical Communication (IOOC–ECOC’85)
Kendir Tekgül, E., Midilli, Y., Çamiçi, H. C., Yapar Yıldırım, E., Karatutlu, A., & Ortaç, B. (2022). Effects of gamma radiation on Yb-doped Al–P–silicate optical fibers. Applied Physics B, 128(9),170 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-022-07891-y
Vanderka, A., Bednarek, L., Hajek, L., Latal, J., Poboril, R., Zavodny, P., & Vasinek, V. (2016). Measurement of the optical fiber numeric aperture exposed to thermal and radiation aging. 20th Slovak-Czech-Polish Optical Conference on Wave and Quantum Aspects of Contemporary Optics
Medhat, M., El-Zaiat, S., Abdou, S. M., Radi, A., & Omar, M. (2002). Interferometric determination of gamma radiation effects on optical parameters ofa GRIN optical fibre. Journal of Optics A: Pure and Applied Optics, 4(4), 485. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1088/1464-4258/4/4/320
Huston, A., Justus, B., Falkenstein, P., Miller, R., Ning, H., & Altemus, R. (2001). Remote optical fiber dosimetry. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 184(1-2), 55-67. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-583X(01)00713-3
Paul, M. C., Sen, R., Bhadra, S. K., Pal, M., Giri, P., Dasgupta, K.,…Bhatnagar, P. (2007). Gamma ray radiation induced absorption in Ti doped single mode optical fibres at low dose levels. Optical Materials, 29(6), 738-745. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2005.12.004
Meister, D. C., Fox, B. P., Simmons-Potter, K., Moore, S., & Fisher, J. (2009). Gamma-Radiation-Induced Photodarkening in Actively Pumped Yb3+-Doped Optical Fiber and Investigation of Post-Irradiation Transmittance Recovery.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Classical and Physical Optics

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Esra Kendir Tekgül ^*
0000-0002-6728-5640
Türkiye

Publication Date

June 29, 2026

Submission Date

January 8, 2026

Acceptance Date

May 8, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 47 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.17776/csj.1859031

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA65BJ64KN

APA

Kendir Tekgül, E. (2026). Effect of Radiodarkening on Optical Transmission Performance of Ytterbium-Doped Fibers. Cumhuriyet Science Journal, 47(3), 580-588. https://doi.org/10.17776/csj.1859031

AMA

1.Kendir Tekgül E. Effect of Radiodarkening on Optical Transmission Performance of Ytterbium-Doped Fibers. CSJ. 2026;47(3):580-588. doi:10.17776/csj.1859031

Chicago

Kendir Tekgül, Esra. 2026. “Effect of Radiodarkening on Optical Transmission Performance of Ytterbium-Doped Fibers”. Cumhuriyet Science Journal 47 (3): 580-88. https://doi.org/10.17776/csj.1859031.

EndNote

Kendir Tekgül E (June 1, 2026) Effect of Radiodarkening on Optical Transmission Performance of Ytterbium-Doped Fibers. Cumhuriyet Science Journal 47 3 580–588.

IEEE

[1]E. Kendir Tekgül, “Effect of Radiodarkening on Optical Transmission Performance of Ytterbium-Doped Fibers”, CSJ, vol. 47, no. 3, pp. 580–588, June 2026, doi: 10.17776/csj.1859031.

ISNAD

Kendir Tekgül, Esra. “Effect of Radiodarkening on Optical Transmission Performance of Ytterbium-Doped Fibers”. Cumhuriyet Science Journal 47/3 (June 1, 2026): 580-588. https://doi.org/10.17776/csj.1859031.

JAMA

1.Kendir Tekgül E. Effect of Radiodarkening on Optical Transmission Performance of Ytterbium-Doped Fibers. CSJ. 2026;47:580–588.

MLA

Kendir Tekgül, Esra. “Effect of Radiodarkening on Optical Transmission Performance of Ytterbium-Doped Fibers”. Cumhuriyet Science Journal, vol. 47, no. 3, June 2026, pp. 580-8, doi:10.17776/csj.1859031.

Vancouver

1.Esra Kendir Tekgül. Effect of Radiodarkening on Optical Transmission Performance of Ytterbium-Doped Fibers. CSJ. 2026 Jun. 1;47(3):580-8. doi:10.17776/csj.1859031

As of 2026, Cumhuriyet Science Journal will be published in six issues per year, released in February, April, June, August, October, and December

Effect of Radiodarkening on Optical Transmission Performance of Ytterbium-Doped Fibers

Abstract

Keywords

References

Details

Primary Language

Subjects

Journal Section

Authors

Publication Date

Submission Date

Acceptance Date

Published in Issue

DOI

IZ

Cite