Mitigation of attenuating effects from ionizing radiation in silica optical fibers by photobleaching
AssigneeCommonwealth Fusion Systems LLC
InventorsOwen Beals Duke, Erica Elizabeth Salazar, David Paul Meichle
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Abstract
Systems and methods for performing optical annealing of an optical fiber disposed in a cryogenic environment subject to ionizing radiation, such as in a fusion energy source, are provided. The techniques include optically annealing the optical fiber using first light having a first peak wavelength and second light having a second peak wavelength different than the first peak wavelength. The first and second peak wavelengths may be selected to optically anneal defects associated with transient radiation-induced attenuation (RIA) and permanent RIA.
Claims45
A system arranged to perform optical annealing of an optical fiber disposed in an environment subject to ionizing radiation, the system comprising:
- a first light source configured to illuminate and optically anneal the optical fiber by generating first light having a first peak wavelength;
- a second light source configured to illuminate and optically anneal the optical fiber by generating second light having a second peak wavelength;
- and
- an optical multiplexer coupled between the first light source and the optical fiber and between the second light source and the optical fiber.
A method of optically annealing an optical fiber disposed in an environment subject to ionizing radiation, the method comprising:
- optically annealing the optical fiber with first light having a first peak wavelength;
- and
- optically annealing the optical fiber with second light having a second peak wavelength.
A system arranged to perform optical annealing of an optical fiber, the system comprising:
- a first light source configured to optically anneal the optical fiber by generating first light having a first peak wavelength;
- a second light source configured to optically anneal the optical fiber by generating second light having a second peak wavelength;
- and
- an optical multiplexer coupled between the first light source and the optical fiber and between the second light source and the optical fiber, wherein:
- the optical fiber is disposed in a fusion energy source,
- the optical fiber is subject to ionizing radiation created by the fusion energy source while the first light source and/or the second light source optically anneal the optical fiber, and
- the optical fiber is at a cryogenic temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.