COATED OPTICAL FIBER WITH INCREASED MODULUS AND THERMALLY ENHANCED STRIPPABILITY

• Main Authors: SIMPKINS, PETER GERALD, HALE, ARTURO, KUCK, VALERIE JEANNE, ALOISIO, CHARLES JOSEPH JR, TORNQVIST, HAKAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 29.12.2000
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ADHESIVES; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES, OR VITREOUSENAMELS; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; CHEMISTRY; COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES ORLACQUERS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; DYES; FILLING PASTES; GLASS; INKS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS; METALLURGY; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL; MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS; MISCELLANEOUS COMPOSITIONS; NATURAL RESINS; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PAINTS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; PHYSICS; POLISHES; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS,MINERALS OR SLAGS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR; WOODSTAINS

In accordance with the invention, an optical fiber is provided with a protective coating having enhanced thermal characteristics for easy removal from the optical fiber. In particular, at elevated temperatures used in stripping, the delamination resistance drops to low levels substantially independent of modulus. This permits fabrication of a protectively coated fiber which has relatively high modulus and delamination resistance at room temperature but, due to its enhanced thermal characteristics, is nonetheless relatively easy to strip at elevated temperatures. Thus, for example, applicants can provide a protectively coated optical fiber or ribbon with a room temperature modulus of at least 90 psi, and a high temperature delamination resistance that is less than 40% of the room-temperature delamination resistance and preferably less than 30%. Coatings based on a polyether backbone and non-polar monomers are preferred.