Design of tightly jacketed double-coated optical fibers to minimize long-term hydrostatic-pressure-induced microbending losses

Abstract

The design of tightly jacketed double-coated optical fibers to minimize long-term hydrostatic-pressure-induced microbending losses is investigated. Microbending loss in these fibers is dominated by compressive radial stress at the interface between the glass fiber and the primary coating, which is a function of the polymeric materials properties and their thicknesses. To minimize the long-term hydrostatic-pressure- induced microbending losses, one should decrease the Young's modulus, Poisson ratio, and relaxation time of the primary coating as well as the radius and Poisson ratio of the secondary coating, and increase the Young's modulus and relaxation time of the secondary coating as well as the radius, Young's modulus, Poisson ratio, and relaxation time of the jacket. Alternatively, the radius of the primary coating has its optimum value.