Abstract: A process for radiation hardening a pure-silica-core fiber, the process comprising the steps of:(a) providing a pure-silica-core fiber having a core index of refraction and having an outer surface;(b) exposing the fiber to a dose of ionizing radiation sufficient to permanently reduce transmission losses of the fiber to no more than about 30 dB/km within a wavelength range of about 400 nm to about 700 nm. In addition, white light may simultaneously be transmitted through the fiber during the exposure of the fiber to ionizing radiation. The presently claimed invention is directed to the above process and the radiation hardened fiber formed according to the above processing steps.

Abstract: An optical fiber waveguide for detecting magnetic fields. The optical fiber waveguide includes therein an array of discrete elongate magnetized particles, all polarized in the same direction with their axes generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the waveguide, which in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field are subjected to magnetostrictive effects and undergo linear dimension changes to cause a related longitudinal dimension change of the optical fiber waveguide whereby a laser beam passing longitudinally through the waveguide is subject to phase shifts detectable by interferometry.