Heat-flow modeling and visualization of catastrophic self-propagating damage in single-mode optical fibers at low powers

Damage to optical fibers by 'self-propelled self-focusing' occurs at relatively low optical powers. This phenomenon is modeled using a finite-element technique. The description is based on an induced fiber-absorption change with temperature which has been verified experimentally. A lumped absorption of a few percent used in the model gives good agreement with measurements of the velocity of damage-propagation.