Waveguide designs for low dispersion mid-infrared fibers.

Heavy metal halide glass fibers have the potential of 0.001- 0.01 dB/km optical loss in the 2-10 micron region. System considerations for very long distance transmission applications require these fibers to be single mode and dispersion shifted. Waveguide propagation characteristics have been calculated for step and triangular refractive index profiles for three representative halide glasses whose minimum loss wavelengths span the 2-10 micron region. Modest relative index differences can be used to offset material dispersion, which decreases with increasing wavelength. These designs are consistent with low macro-bending and micro-deformation loss requirements.