High Tellurium (Te) content chalcogenide glass fibers are considered as candidates for single mode waveguides in the upper wavelength range (10 – 20 μm) of the DARWIN mission. In this paper two methods for IR optical characterization of the Te glass fibers are presented, including (1) a broadband spectral technique using an FTIR spectrophotometer and (2) a CO2 laser set-up for measuring the fiber attenuation at 10.6 μm. In both methods the optical attenuation (in dB/m) of experimental mono index Te glass fibers of around 500 μm diameter has been determined by applying the fiber cut-back technique. Some typical results of both methods for a few different types of high Te-glass fibers will be shown. Since Te-glasses are semiconducting materials, the optical properties of Te-glass fibers strongly depend on temperature. Preliminary low temperature measuring results confirm the beneficial effect of cooling on the transmission of high Te glass fibers.
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