MANUFACTURE OF OPTICAL WAVEGUIDES USING AEROSOLS: A REVIEW

Optical waveguides are glass filaments used to transmit light for telecommunication and other uses. To achieve high performance, inexpensive optical communication systems require: glass of exceptional purity and precise control of glass refractive index. For this reason, aerosol deposition is utilized exclusively for the manufacture of optical waveguides. The applications and operation of optical waveguides are outlined in this paper. The major manufacturing processes are discussed, with emphasis on aerosol formation and deposition.