Where to Buy Mid-infrared Fibers

LVF offers a large range of fluoride optical fibers, including ZrF₄ (fluorozirconate) and InF₃ (fluoroindate) fibers designed for mid infrared applications.

• ZrF₄ (fluorozirconate) fibers transmit light from 0.3 µm up to 4.5 µm.
• InF₃ (fluoroindate) fibers transmit light from 0.3 µm up to 5.5 µm.
• GeO₂ (germanate) fibers are qualified for high power handling around 2.7–3.0 µm (Er:YAG and Er:YSSG medical lasers).

LVF fluoride fibers are the most transparent fibers on the market in the mid-infrared 2–5 µm band.

Discover our passive fibers and active fibers.

Guiding Photonics produces hollow core fiber optics (i.e., waveguides) for mid-IR applications requiring remote laser beam delivery. Benefits include

• good transmission for λ = 2 – 16 µm
• single-mode options for λ ≥ 5 µm
• mode filtering of non-Gaussian beams
• high coupling efficiency (> 95%)
• high energy/power (up to 100 W CW)
• no end reflections
• no cladding modes
• robust and flexible

Thorlabs has extensive, vertically integrated fluoride fiber manufacturing capabilities, including mid-IR fiber draw towers and splicing expertise. These fully vertical capabilities are utilized to produce our praseodymium-doped fiber amplifier (PDFA) as well as our SC4500 mid-IR supercontinuum laser system.

For the mid-IR spectral range, we produce

• chalcogenide As-S glass fibers (CIR),
• polycrystalline silver halide (PIR) fibers and
• hollow silica glass waveguides (HWG).

CIR fibers transmits infrared radiation in the spectral range of 1.1 μm – 6.5 μm. CIR- fibers with double polymer jacket provides a superior mechanical strength and high flexibility. Low optical losses ensure a successful use of CIR-fiber for a wide range of applications.

PIR fibers are transparent over a broad spectral range 3 μm – 17 μm. Low optical losses without absorption peaks over the mentioned spectral range ensure a successful use of PIR fiber for a broad range of applications.

The HWG design is a perfect option to transmit weakly divergent IR light in the mid IR range from 2 to 18 μm. High performance HWG are produced with double polymer jacket to secure a superior mechanical strength and high flexibility of HWGs.