How are graded-index fibres prepared i.e. how is the gradual refractive index change achieved?

Hi, are you asking how these fibres are manufactured?

yep

It seems noone knows here.

Try to communicate with the vendors and ask for assistance on how they do it. Tell them it is purely for research and non-commercial.


Or you can mail Discovery to request that they feature it in their How do they do it show.

Here is a patent for "Plastic fiber optic with gradient index and method"

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2008/0187275.html

Well, actually this is pretty simple.
WHat you do is depositing the silica/germania via chemical vapor deposition on a bait rod and constantly change the composition of the silica/germania during this process in order to achieve the graded index fiber.