Successful market introduction: high-tech PURAVIS™ glass optical fibers in serial products

For example, fluorescence-based applications in the area of medical diagnostics and microscopy are both possible due to improved transmission in the near UV range.

Mainz (Germany), September 25, 2012 – The international technology company SCHOTT has now confirmed the successful launch of its PURAVIS™ high-purity glass optical fibers that has been underway since the start of the year. Thanks to their superior properties over existing glass fibers, the new PURAVIS™ fibers are particularly well suited for use in medical and industrial applications. In fact, the improved glass optical fibers are already being used in serial production of the new medical “universal light guide.” SCHOTT will be presenting this product range this week at the World Medtech Forum in Lucerne, Switzerland (Hall 2 / Booth A2020).



“We are extremely pleased to have been able to convince our customers of the improved product characteristics of our PURAVIS™ glass optical fibers and that our new product series has been received so well,” said Karen Holst, product manager for glass optical fibers at SCHOTT Lighting & Imaging. The two PURAVIS™ fibers GOF 70 and GOF 85 clearly demonstrate superior optical properties such as higher transmission of white light and greater longevity than conventional glass fibers during autoclaving or cleaning.



At the same time, SCHOTT is also working to develop its PURAVIS™ glass fiber series even further. “We intend to improve our portfolio by adding a fiber with a higher aperture angle,” Holst noted in commenting on the company's plans for the future.



By using carefully selected raw ingredients, SCHOTT has been able to increase the transmission of white light by up to 10 percent by introducing PURAVIS™. Due to the lower color shift, illuminated objects retain their natural color, even if the fibers are used in long light guides. This means PURAVIS™ is particularly well suited for medical applications such as endoscopy and surgical microscopy. As a result of the improved numerical aperture by 5° full angle, the light guide captures more light from the very start. The low attenuation in the visible range results in even higher light output at the end of the light guide, which allows for smaller diameter light guides with the same output that are thus easier to install.



Another advantage of PURAVIS™ is its superior longevity achieved by improved chemical stability and low solarization, which is particularly important for medical reprocessing like autoclaving or cleaning, but also for outdoor applications. Transmission loss of PURAVIS™ after 100 autoclaving cycles has been greatly reduced – by up to 70% compared to previous fibers. The innovative high-tech fiber is lead-free and manufactured using a completely new, environmentally friendly process that also avoids the use of arsenic and antimony as refining agents. The production process is thus consistent with the company‘s commitment to the environment. In fact, any product that is equipped with PURAVIS™ already complies with the EU directives RoHS and REACH today.