High-resolution infrared image transport by Anderson localization optical fibers

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H02203
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 21060:Electron device and electronic equipment-related
• Research Institution: Toyota Technological Institute
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Takenobu 豊田工業大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (60367828)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 赤外透過ガラス / 光ファイバ / 赤外イメージング / 光のアンダーソン局在 / 画像伝送

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is known that tellurite glass can transmit longer wavelength infrared light than conventional silica glass. We have prepared a tellurite transversely disordered optical fiber (TDOF) without voids from a hollow tube depressurized the inside during the fiber drawing process. Infrared image transmission at a wavelength of 1.5 microns has been successfully achieved with the fabricated TDOF. In conventional TDOFs, deviation in the refractive index distribution cannot be avoided. We have proposed a new structure in which rods of different species are adjacent to each other, and improved the average structural similarity index of transmitted images. Chalcognide glasses are known for their charecterisitic of transmision of mid-infrared light up to a wavelength of about 10 microns. We have sucessfully prepared a chalcogenide TDOF with no voids. We have demonstrated image transmission by TDOF with mid-infrared light with a wavelength of 3 microns.

Free Research Field

光機能材料工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では，赤外光をよく透過する新規なガラス材料を用いて，光を狭い領域に閉じ込めることができるランダムな屈折率分布を持つファイバを作製し，赤外イメージ伝送が可能であることを実証した．近年，医療分野では手術や検査による患者への負担を減らすことが求められており，可視光イメージファイバを利用した手術や検査の件数が増加している．赤外イメージファイバにを用いることで体内の温度分布が直接的に観察することができるようになり，医師の経験と勘によらない診断が可能になるものと期待される．