Abstract: A range of alkali metal borosilicate glass compositions modified by the addition of alkaline earth metal oxides has been found to be especially suitable for the production of graded index optical fibre by thermal diffusion using the double crucible method. A core glass chosen from this range may be paired with a suitable cladding glass so that, in the nozzle of the double crucible, alkaline earth metal exchange occurs to give a composition gradient of alkaline earth metal oxide and hence a gradation of refractive index. Using these glasses, fibres have been produced having refractive index profiles that approximate closely to the ideal parabolic distribution, numerical apertures of up to 0.21, and best loss values as low as 6.4 dB/km at 850 nm.