Athermal glasses and athermal systems for infrared optical components and systems are disclosed.

A liquid crystal-based non-mechanical beam steering device that permits steering in the mid-wave infrared and has a chalcogenide waveguide. The waveguide core, the subcladding, or both comprise a chalcogenide glass. The liquid crystal-based non-mechanical beam steering device has a tapered subcladding and a liquid crystal layer.

The glasses of the present disclosure are highly transparent and have very good resistance to solarization. The resistance to solarization arises from the production method. The concentrations of reduced polyvalent ion species are reduced by targeted use of bubbling with an oxidizing gas. Methods for producing glasses and to the uses thereof, particularly as core glasses in optical waveguides, are also provided.

The optical fiber offered is capable of not only restraining the attenuation due to glass defects, but also reducing the increase of manufacturing cost. The optical fiber is made of silica glass and includes a core and a cladding. The cladding encloses the core and has a refractive index smaller than that of the core. When the core is divided into inner core and outer core at half of the radius of the core, the average chlorine concentration of the inner core is larger than that of the outer core. The core includes any of the alkali metal group.

The optical fiber offered is capable of not only restraining the attenuation due to glass defects, but also reducing the increase of manufacturing cost. The optical fiber is made of silica glass and includes a core and a cladding. The cladding encloses the core and has a refractive index smaller than that of the core. When the core is divided into inner core and outer core at half of the radius of the core, the average chlorine concentration of the inner core is larger than that of the outer core. The core includes any of the alkali metal group.

An optical fiber preform includes a silica-glass core portion, and a cladding portion surrounding the core portion, the cladding portion being composed of a fluorine-containing silica glass having a lower refractive index than the core portion, the core portion including a first region that does not include the central axis thereof, the first region containing a first dopant selected from sodium, potassium, and compounds thereof, and a second region that includes the central axis, the second region containing a second dopant that reduces the viscosity of the silica glass, the second dopant having a diffusion coefficient of 110.sup.12 cm.sup.2/s or more and less than the first dopant at 2,000 C. to 2,300 C., in which the entire core portion has an average first dopant concentration of 10 atomic ppm or more and 2,000 atomic ppm or less and an average second dopant concentration of 10 atomic ppm or more.

The present disclosure provides optical fibers with an impact-resistant coating system. The fibers feature low attenuation. The coating system includes a primary coating and a secondary coating. The primary coating and secondary coating have reduced thickness to provide low-diameter fibers without sacrificing protection. The primary coating has high tear strength and is resistant to damage caused by mechanical force. The secondary coating has high puncture resistance. The outer diameter of the optical fiber is less than or equal to 190 m.

A resin composition comprises a base resin containing an urethane (meth)acrylate oligomer, a monomer having a phenoxy group, and a photopolymerization initiator, and hydrophobic inorganic oxide particles, wherein the viscosity is 300 mPa.Math.s or more and 4200 mPa.Math.s or less at 45 C. and the content of the monomer having a phenoxy group is 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less based on the total amount of the base resin.

A resin composition comprises a base resin containing an urethane (meth)acrylate oligomer, a monomer having a phenoxy group, and a photopolymerization initiator, and hydrophobic inorganic oxide particles, wherein the viscosity is 300 mPa.Math.s or more and 4200 mPa.Math.s or less at 45 C. and the content of the monomer having a phenoxy group is 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less based on the total amount of the base resin.

A method for making a chalcogenide glass waveguide in a liquid crystal-based non-mechanical beam steering device that permits steering in the mid-wave infrared. The waveguide core, the subcladding, or both comprise a chalcogenide glass. A mask is used to produce a tapered subcladding. Also disclosed is the related non-mechanical beam steering device that includes a chalcogenide waveguide.