Abstract
Heavy metal fluoride glasses are a recently discovered1 class of nonoxide vitreous material whose structure, chemistry, and, most important, mid-IR optical behavior are very different from those of silicate glasses. Their compositional flexibility yields glasses with a broad (and controllable) range of optical transmission, refractive index, and dispersion, making them candidates for 2~5-μm waveguides and optical components.2 Significant amounts of transition metal and rare earth fluorides may also be incorporated within the glass matrix, yielding materials with the potential for unusual magnetic, magnetooptic, or lasing behavior. Demonstration of the suitability of heavy metal fluoride glasses for these and other applications involves preparation and characterization of high- quality bulk glass specimens. Progress and problems in these areas are reviewed, with emphasis on melting and fabrication techniques, viscosity and crystallization phenomena, and the role of additives to enhance glass stability while preserving high optical transparency.
© 1983 Optical Society of America
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