This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes to develop a glass fiber capable of transmitting high peak power laser radiation in the region of 3 microns. Numerous medical and dental applications are presently stymied by the lack of such a fiber or attempting to use awkward articulated mirrors which severely limit their surgical precision. This 3 micron region is of interest because hydroxyapatite, the major constituent of bone and enamel absorbs at 2.94 microns. This wavelength, centered at the major absorption of water (-OH) is non-ionizing, permitting laser surgery without charring. It follows therefore, that the glass fiber must be free of the -OH absorption also. Such fibers have been developed for communications (anhydrous ZBLANS), but these fibers are brittle and so far, break under high power irradiation. KIGRE, Inc., proposes to chemically modify germanium-based glasses to reduce the 3 micron absorption to acceptable levels while retaining their strong silicate-like physical characteristics.
