Nanostructured optical fibers in the SiO2/SnO2 system by the sol-gel method

SiO2/SnO2 nanostructured optical fibers are elaborated using two ways based on the chemical sol-gel method: the “inverse-dip coating” and the “powder in tube” processes. The structural and waveguiding properties of the drawn optical fibers are studied according to the concentration of SnO2 nanocrystals. In this way, the study on the 450–1750nm wavelength range shows that the transmission band expands to the infrared wavelength as the SnO2 concentration increases and the measured attenuation losses are below 1dBm−1. •SnO2/SiO2 fibers are achieved by an original way based on the sol-gel process.•The SnO2 nanoparticles crystallize in the rutile phase.•The SnO2 nanoparticles concentration is evaluated thanks to the refractive index.•The transmission spectra are studied according to the nanoparticles concentration.