Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the removal of foreign matter, such as oil and dust, from the end faces of optical fiber and optical fiber connectors. Cleaning is effected by bringing carbon nanotube material into contact with an end face to create a differential adhesion in the proximity of the end face that more strongly attracts foreign matter residing on the end face to the carbon nanotube material than its attraction to the end face. The carbon nanotube material is applied with cleaning swabs or tapes that are used to clean end faces with swiping actions.

Abstract: A non-kink, non-hockling optical cable comprising an optical fiber capable of propagating light along its longitudinal axis. A buffer layer made of a soft plastic material surrounds the silica core and cladding, and a supplemental layer surrounds the buffer layer. The supplemental layer consists essentially of a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) material to enhance the tensile strength of the optical fiber. Finally, an encasing polymer layer with a breaking strain greater than 30%, surrounds the supplemental layer, to increase the flexibility of the optical cable.

Abstract: A packaging system having a housing for providing a hermetically sealed interior space for receiving and supporting optoelectronic components. The housing has at least one section of wall comprising a layer of liquid crystal polymer (LCP). At least one hermetically sealed electrical port is formed in the LCP wall section over a predetermined area and comprises a layer of metal adhered to and overlying the predetermined area on the of the LCP wall section. An electrode passes through the metal from the exterior of the system to the interior space to provide an electrical communication path between the optoelectronic components and the exterior of said packaging system. A solder joint is formed between the electrode and the layer of metal to provide a hermetic connection between the layer of metal and the electrode to assure that the hermeticity of the housing remains unchanged with the electrical port present.

Abstract: An electrically conducting wire structure and a method for its manufacture where the wire structure has at least one elongated electrically conducting wire and a liquid crystal polymer coating of insulation formed by cross-head extrusion as a layer around the electrically conducting wire. An abrasion layer is preferably formed over the liquid crystal polymer coating, the elongated electrically conducting wire is selected from the group that includes copper, silver, tinned copper, aluminum, and conducting polymers, and the liquid crystal polymer material is a thermotropic thermoplastic.

Abstract: The invention relates to high-strength, abrasion-resistant optical fiber cable having a supplemental layer consisting essentially of a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) to enhance the cable's tensile strength and hermetically seal it, and an outermost encasing layer to protect the LCP supplemental layer from damage that could otherwise diminish the tensile strength or destroy the moisture barrier properties of the cable gained by adding the supplemental liquid crystal polymer layer. The encasing layer is preferably a thin layer of a smooth, non-crystalline thermoplastic that can be easily removed with chemicals that do not affect the properties of the supplemental layer so that the supplemental layer can be made accessible for promoting the formation of hermetically sealed interfaces between the cable and other structures. Cross-head extrusion methods for coating optical fibers with LCP and encasing layers are described along with laser and ultrasonic bonding techniques for fabricating hermetic packages.

Abstract: The invention relates to high-strength, abrasion-resistant optical fiber cable having a supplemental layer consisting essentially of a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) to enhance the cable's tensile strength and hermetically seal it, and an outermost encasing layer to protect the LCP supplemental layer from damage that could otherwise diminish the tensile strength or destroy the moisture barrier properties of the cable gained by adding the supplemental liquid crystal polymer layer. The encasing layer is preferably a thin layer of a smooth, non-crystalline thermoplastic that can be easily removed with chemicals that do not affect the properties of the supplemental layer so that the supplemental layer can be made accessible for promoting the formation of hermetically sealed interfaces between the cable and other structures. Cross-head extrusion methods for coating optical fibers with LCP and encasing layers are described along with laser and ultrasonic bonding techniques for fabricating hermetic packages.

Abstract: The invention relates to high-strength, abrasion-resistant optical fiber cable having a supplemental layer consisting essentially of a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) to enhance the cable's tensile strength and hermetically seal it, and an outermost encasing layer to protect the LCP supplemental layer from damage that could otherwise diminish the tensile strength or destroy the moisture barrier properties of the cable gained by adding the supplemental liquid crystal polymer layer. The encasing layer is preferably a thin layer of a smooth, non-crystalline thermoplastic that can be easily removed with chemicals that do not affect the properties of the supplemental layer so that the supplemental layer can be made accessible for promoting the formation of hermetically sealed interfaces between the cable and other structures. Cross-head extrusion methods for coating optical fibers with LCP and encasing layers are described along with laser and ultrasonic bonding techniques for fabricating hermetic packages.