Abstract: A method of manufacturing a preform, the method including positioning at least one glass tube in a glass outer cladding to form a preform precursor, the glass tube comprising a first open end and a second open end, forming a preform from the preform precursor, and thermally treating at least one of the preform precursor and the preform. The thermally treating including sealing the first open end and the second open end of the glass tube to form a closed tube and heating and/or cooling the glass tube to manipulate gas pressure within the closed glass tube.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to various embodiments of methods for making an optical fiber. The methods may include drawing an optical fiber from a hollow-core preform. The hollow-core preform may include an annular support structure with an inner surface defining an interior cavity. The interior cavity may include a tube in direct contact with the inner surface of the annular support structure. The tube may include a wall defining an internal opening, the internal opening having a sealed end. The drawing may include regulating a pressure of the internal cavity to a predetermined pressure.

Abstract: An optical fiber is provided that includes a core region, a cladding region having a radius less than about 62.5 microns; a polymer coating comprising a high-modulus layer and a low-modulus layer, wherein a thickness of the low-modulus inner coating layer is in a range of 4 microns to 20 microns, the modulus of the low-modulus inner coating layer is less than or equal to about 0.35 MPa, a thickness of the high-modulus coating layer is in a range of 4 microns to 20 microns, the modulus of the high-modulus inner coating layer is greater than or equal to about 1.6 GPa, and wherein a puncture resistance of the optical fiber is greater than 20 g, and wherein a microbend attenuation penalty of the optical fiber is less than 0.

Abstract: An optical fiber is provided that includes a core region, a cladding region having a radius less than about 62.5 microns; a polymer coating comprising a high-modulus layer and a low-modulus layer, wherein a thickness of the low-modulus inner coating layer is in a range of 4 microns to 20 microns, the modulus of the low-modulus inner coating layer is less than or equal to about 0.35 MPa, a thickness of the high-modulus coating layer is in a range of 4 microns to 20 microns, the modulus of the high-modulus inner coating layer is greater than or equal to about 1.6 GPa, and wherein a puncture resistance of the optical fiber is greater than 20 g, and wherein a microbend attenuation penalty of the optical fiber is less than 0.03 dB/km, and wherein an outer diameter of the coated optical fiber is less than or equal to 175 microns.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a thin coated optical fiber that enables connector assembly without stripping the optical fiber. In particular, the thin coating comprises a hard coating, a dye concentrate, and an adhesion promoter. The formulation of the coating promotes adhesion to a glass cladding of the optical fiber and to a ferrule bore (into which the optical fiber is inserted) by not causing silane decomposition of the coating. Moreover, the coating is colored to enable, among other things, fiber identification within a connector. The thin coated optical fibers exhibit good mechanical and optical performance properties as discussed herein.

Abstract: A high-density optical fiber ribbon is formed by two or more cladding-strengthened glass optical fibers each having an outer surface and that do not individually include a protective polymer coating. A common protective coating substantially surrounds the outer surfaces of the two or more cladding-strengthened glass optical fibers so that the common protective coating is common to the two or more cladding-strengthened glass optical fibers. A fiber ribbon cable is formed by adding a cover assembly to the fiber ribbon. A fiber ribbon interconnect is formed adding one or more optical connectors to the fiber ribbon or fiber ribbon cable. Optical data transmission systems that employ the fiber ribbon to optically connect to a photonic device are also disclosed. Methods of forming the cladding-strengthened glass optical fibers and the high-density optical fiber ribbons are also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical fiber is provided that includes a core region, a cladding region having a radius less than about 62.5 microns; a polymer coating comprising a high-modulus layer and a low-modulus layer, wherein a thickness of the low-modulus inner coating layer is in a range of 4 microns to 20 microns, the modulus of the low-modulus inner coating layer is less than or equal to about 0.35 MPa, a thickness of the high-modulus coating layer is in a range of 4 microns to 20 microns, the modulus of the high-modulus inner coating layer is greater than or equal to about 1.6 GPa, and wherein a puncture resistance of the optical fiber is greater than 20 g, and wherein a microbend attenuation penalty of the optical fiber is less than 0.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a thin coated optical fiber that enables connector assembly without stripping the optical fiber.

Abstract: A high-density optical fiber ribbon is formed by two or more cladding-strengthened glass optical fibers each having an outer surface and that do not individually include a protective polymer coating. A common protective coating substantially surrounds the outer surfaces of the two or more cladding-strengthened glass optical fibers so that the common protective coating is common to the two or more cladding-strengthened glass optical fibers. A fiber ribbon cable is formed by adding a cover assembly to the fiber ribbon. A fiber ribbon interconnect is formed adding one or more optical connectors to the fiber ribbon or fiber ribbon cable. Optical data transmission systems that employ the fiber ribbon to optically connect to a photonic device are also disclosed. Methods of forming the cladding-strengthened glass optical fibers and the high-density optical fiber ribbons are also disclosed.