Optical resonators with reduced OH-content
This application describes optical resonators substantially free of hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals and related fabrication techniques.
1. A method, comprising:
processing an optical material by using deuterium to replace hydrogen to form an optical resonator to minimize a compound that comprises OH in the optical resonator; and
polishing the optical material with a D 2 O based slurry.
2. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising exposing the optical material to a flame produced from a mixture of a deuterium gas and oxygen.
3. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising exposing the optical resonator to a hot deuterium gas or a hot D 2 O vapor to reduce water and hydroxyl radicals in the optical material.
4. A method for fabricating an optical resonator, comprising:
mixing a D 2 gas and an oxygen gas to produce a flame to heat a glass material;
shaping the heated glass material to form an optical resonator; and
polishing the optical resonator with a D 2 O-based polishing slurry.
5. A method as in claim 4 , further comprising exposing the optical resonator to a heated D 2 gas or D 2 O vapor to minimize a compound that comprises OH in the optical resonator.