Photonics

Photonics is a sensitive science that demands high-purity gases and stable gas mixtures, as well as dedicated equipment and installations to preserve gas purity.

The expertise of Air Liquide makes it a trusted partner for manufacturers of fiber optic materials and LEDs, supplying a wide range of gases  – helium, hydrogen, ultra high purity ammonia (UHP ammonia) – and air gases, as well as related equipment such as wet chemical dispenser units, gas cabinets and distribution systems.
 

Thanks to its skilled business developers and R&D teams, Air Liquide ensures reliable and safe supply chain, as well as the ability to deliver the right amount of gas at the right purity level to meet customers’ specific requirements.

The first step in manufacturing fiber optics is producing preform, a silica glass rod. Hydrogen, oxygen and helium are all used to consolidate the preform, which is then melted in a furnace and drawn into fiber optics at a rate of 1,500 to 2,000m per minute. Helium is then used to cool the drawn fiber efficiently. Air Liquide supplies these gases at ultra high purities to support fiber optics manufacturers.

Material used for white and blue LEDs needs one nitrogen atom. This is where UHP ammonia steps in during the deposition phase of production. In liquid form at room temperature, ammonia must be heated to be used in gaseous phase. 

To allow its customers to use larger volumes of this gas, Air Liquide has developed an induction-based heating solution to vaporize UHP ammonia more efficiently.