Design of dual-coated optical fibers to minimize thermally induced static fatigue caused by viscoelastic behavior of commercial polymeric coatings

Abstract

Abstract The static fatigue test shows that the lifetime of dual-coated optical fibers is governed by the axial tensile stress exerted on the glass fibers. Polymeric coatings of optical fibers own viscoelastic behavior, so the axial tensile stress acted on the glass fibers depends on the time. After recognizing the exact viscoelastic performance of commercial polymeric coatings, the long-term tensile thermal stresses applied to the glass fiber of dual-coated optical fibers are obtained by viscoelastic theory. Following, the influence of thermal stresses on the fiber’s static fatigue is evaluated, and the selection of dual-coated optical fibers to lessen the static fatigue is acquired. To reduce these long-term thermal stresses, the radius, Young’s modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, and relaxation time of the secondary coating should be diminished, but the strain ratio of the secondary coating should be raised. Furthermore, the secondary coating should possess sufficiently radius and Young’s modulus to withstand external mechanical damage.