In situ radiation testing of KU and KS-4V optical fibers in a reactor environment

• Published in: Fusion engineering and design Vol. 51; pp. 973 - 978
• Main Authors: Ivanov, A.A, Tugarinov, S.N, Kaschuck, Yu.A, Krasilnikov, A.V, Bender, S.E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-11-2000
• Subjects: Gamma rays; Hardening; In situ processing; KU and KS-4V; Neutrons; Optical fiber; Optical fibers; Radiation effects; Radiation testing; Silica; Radiation testing; KU and KS-4V; Optical fiber
• ISSN: 0920-3796; 1873-7196
• DOI: 10.1016/S0920-3796(00)00437-3

In situ radiation testing of pure-silica-core hardened (H
2-loaded and pre-irradiated) and as-drawn (untreated) optical fibers with high-OH low-Cl KU core and low-OH low-Cl KS-4V core in neutron and gamma fluxes was carried out according to IR-8 reactor power. Both the radioluminescent and radiation-induced loss spectra were measured. Hardening technology (i.e. H
2-loading and pre-irradiation) for both KU and KS-4V fibers provides high radiation resistivity and reduced luminescence level. The level of induced loss in the visible spectral region is lower than ∼2.5 dB/m up to a fast neutron fluence (
E
n>0.1 MeV) of about 1×10
16 n/cm
2. KU fiber demonstrates a rather flat induced absorption spectrum, while the KS-4V fiber has a specific point in the loss spectrum in the vicinity of 460 nm: the induced loss retains level from 0.2 to 0.5 dB/m at the fast neutron fluence up to 3×10
15 n/cm
2. The KS-4V hardened fiber demonstrates recovering of transmission after neutron flux shutdown.