Abstract The search for low-loss and robust optical fibers in the infrared spectrum has always been an important research topic for many investigators. Over the years, fibers of various materials groups have been proposed to obtain ‘the ultimate infrared fiber’. Recently, a new competitive alternative has emerged: the semiconductor-core glass-cladded optical fibers. The excellent bulk materials properties and integrated circuit applications reveals the potential of semiconductors as fiber materials. One of the important photonic materials that has been proposed as a fiber-core material is germanium. In this paper, the development of Ge-based fibers and their optical properties in the mid-infrared spectrum are discussed. The performance of Ge-based fibers has been compared with other semiconductor-core fibers. Recent developments in the area of semiconductor fibers and the future prospects of semiconductors as infrared fiber materials are also discussed.

中文翻译：

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中红外光学用锗芯光纤的新进展

摘要 在红外光谱中寻找低损耗、坚固的光纤一直是许多研究人员的重要研究课题。多年来，人们提出了各种材料组的纤维来获得“终极红外纤维”。最近，出现了一种新的竞争替代品：半导体芯玻璃包层光纤。优异的体材料特性和集成电路应用揭示了半导体作为纤维材料的潜力。已被提议用作纤芯材料的重要光子材料之一是锗。本文讨论了锗基光纤的发展及其在中红外光谱中的光学特性。Ge基光纤的性能已与其他半导体芯光纤进行了比较。