Gamma-ray radiation response at 1550 nm of fluorine-doped radiation hard single-mode optical fiber.

We have investigated gamma-ray radiation response at 1550 nm of fluorine-doped radiation hard single-mode optical fiber. Radiation-induced attenuation (RIA) of the optical fiber was measured under intermittent gamma-ray irradiations with dose rate of 10 kGy/h. No radiation hardening effect on the RIA by the gamma-ray pre-dose was found when the exposed fiber was bleached for long periods of time (2747 days) at room-temperature. Photo-bleaching scheme upon 980 nm LD pumping has proven to be an effective deterrent to the RIA, particularly by suppressing the incipient RIA due to room-temperature unstable self-trapped hole defects (STHs). Large temperature dependence of the RIA of the optical fiber together with the photo-bleaching effect are worthy of note for reinforcing its radiation hard characteristics.