Abstract: A system for winding optical fiber onto a spool includes a spindle assembly for receiving the spool and rotating it around its longitudinal axis. A fiber source for providing a continuous supply of fiber to the spool is positioned relative to the spindle assembly such that rotation of the spool by the spindle assembly causes fiber to be wound onto the spool around its longitudinal axis. A tension sensing device senses and provides feedback related to the amount of tension in the fiber. A traverse assembly causes the fiber to wind onto the spool back and forth between a front spool flange and a rear spool flange, the traverse assembly including a front turnaround position at the front spool flange and a rear turnaround position at the rear spool flange. A controller receives the fiber tension feedback and uses the feedback to determine what adjustment, if any, is to be made to the front and rear turnaround positions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making a hydrogen resistant optical waveguide fiber. The soot preform is heated and then immersed in a GeCl4 gas. A reduced metal species is thus incorporated into the glass soot prior to sintering or consolidation of the soot preform. A hydrogen absorption band around 1530 nm is substantially eliminated from waveguides made from a precursor gas treated preform.

Abstract: A multimode optical fiber having a first laser bandwidth greater than 220 MHz.km in the 850 nm window, a second laser bandwidth greater than 500 MHz.km in the 1300 nm window, a first OFL bandwidth of at least 160 MHz.km in the 850 nm window, and a second OFL bandwidth of at least 500 MHz.km in the 1300 nm window is disclosed. The multimode fiber is capable of operating in telecommunication systems employing both LED power sources and high power laser sources. Methods of making and testing the multimode optical fiber are also disclosed.

Abstract: A multimode optical fiber having a first laser bandwidth greater than 220 MHz.km in the 850 nm window, a second laser bandwidth greater than 500 MHz.km in the 1300 nm window, a first OFL bandwidth of at least 160 MHz.km in the 850 nm window, and a second OFL bandwidth of at least 500 MHz.km in the 1300 nm window is disclosed. The multimode fiber is capable of operating in telecommunication systems employing both LED power sources and high power laser sources. Methods of making and testing the multimode optical fiber are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a single mode optical waveguide having a segmented core of at least two segments. The relative refractive index, the index profile and the radial dimensions of the core segments are selected to provide an optical waveguide fiber having properties suitable for a high performance telecommunication system operating in the wavelength window of about 1530 nm to 1570 nm. Embodiments of the invention having two, three and four segments are described.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making an optical fiber preform having at least one annular region of depressed refractive index. A tube of silica doped with fluorine and/or boron is overclad with silica soot. A core rod is inserted into the overclad tube and the resultant assembly is heated while chlorine flows between the tube and the core rod to clean the adjacent surfaces. When the soot sinters, the tube collapses onto and fuses to the rod. The resultant tubular structure is formed into an optical fiber which exhibits low attenuation as a result of the low seed count at the interface between the inner core and the region that is doped with florine and/or boron.

Abstract: A unitary dispersion managed waveguide fiber with distributed amplification and a system incorporating the waveguide fiber are disclosed. Total dispersion along the waveguide fiber changes from positive to negative along the length of the waveguide over a transmission wavelength range. Distributed amplification is provided by stimulated emission of a dilute concentration of a rare earth dopant in the waveguide, by Raman effects or by both.

Abstract: An optical fiber and method of making, wherein the optical fiber alternates between regions having different diameters along its length, wherein the refractive index of said blank and the diameters of said fiber are chosen to result in a fiber having alternating regions of positive and negative dispersion at a wavelength which is greater than 1480 nm, yet preferably has a low net dispersion and dispersion slope. A preferred such profile consists of a core region surrounded by a cladding region, said core region comprised of an central core region which is updoped with respect to said cladding region, said central core region surrounded by a moat region which is downdoped with respect to said cladding region, and said moat region is surrounded by an annular ring region which is updoped with respect to said cladding region. In addition, a family of profiles is presented which may be used to produce very low dispersion slope fibers.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining dopant concentration in soot that constitutes at least a portion of a soot preform used to form an optical waveguide includes a weight-measuring device, a thickness-parameter-measuring device, a radiation source, a radiation sensor, and a determination device. The weight-measuring device measures the weight of the soot preform. The thickness-parameter-measuring-device measures a thickness parameter of the soot preform. The radiation source irradiates the soot with penetrating radiation. The radiation sensor detects intensity of penetrating radiation passing through the soot. The determination device determines a concentration of dopant in the soot based on the detected intensity of penetrating radiation and the measured weight and thickness parameter.

Abstract: A glass preform (10) is drawn into a fiber. Holes (13), running the length of the preform (10), collapse during the drawing, this causes the core (11) to have an elliptical cross section.

Abstract: A dispersion compensating single mode optical waveguide fiber designed to change the wavelength window of operation of a link from 1310 nm to 1550 nm. The dispersion compensating waveguide fiber is characterized by a core glass region refractive index profile comprised of at least three segments. The segment on the waveguide center has a positive relative refractive index. At least one segment, spaced apart from, the waveguide centerline has a negative relative refractive.

Abstract: In connection with drawing a fiber in a drawing portion of a drawing device having a refractory, oxide component, a method and apparatus provide an environment in the drawing portion that causes active oxidation of a refractory contaminant on a blank. The active oxidation of the refractory contaminant causes it to corrode away during drawing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition for coating optical fibers which contains an oligomer capable of being polymerized, a monomer suitable to control the viscosity of the composition, and an adhesion promoter which includes a compound containing a cyclic structure interposed between at least two reactive silanes which are independently an alkoxysilane or a halosilane. Another composition of the present invention includes an oligomer capable of being polymerized, a monomer suitable to control the viscosity of the composition, an adhesion promoter which includes a compound containing a reactive silane group, and a carrier. The present invention also relates to optical fibers and methods of making such optical fibers using the compositions of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for making silica. A liquid, preferably halide-free, silicon-containing compound capable of being converted by thermal oxidative decomposition to SiO2 is provided and introduced directly into the flame of a combustion burner, which converts the compound to silica, thereby forming finely divided amorphous soot. The soot is vaporized at the site where the liquid is converted into silica by pneumatically atomizing the liquid with a stream of oxygen gas, or a mixture of oxygen gas and nitrogen gas. The amorphous soot is deposited on a receptor surface where, either substantially simultaneously with or subsequently to its deposition, the soot is consolidated into a body of fused silica glass.

Abstract: A single mode optical waveguide fiber having a segmented core designed to provide a large effective area for light transmission. The large effective area reduces waveguide fiber non-linearities. The inventive waveguide is thus suited for transmission of high power signals over long distances. Embodiments of the inventive single mode waveguide including five core segments are given. The large effective area is achieved with essentially no degradation in optical or mechanical performance of the waveguide.

Abstract: A method for controlling the refractive index achieved using a fluorine dopant gas, wherein CF4 is employed as the dopant gas, and the soot preform is doped using the CF4 for a time and temperature sufficient to result in a decrease in fluorine dopant nearest the surface which is in contact with the CF4 gas.

Abstract: A method for threading a lead end of a fiber through the drawing apparatus of a fiber draw process. A prethread filament is fed through the apparatus of a draw process. One end of the prethread filament is then attached to the lead end of the fiber and used to pull the fiber through the apparatus of the draw process.

Abstract: A pulse-reshaping optical fiber having a core with refractive index nc surrounded by a cladding layer, the diameter of the core changing monotonically along the length of the fiber. The core includes a central region having a maximum refractive index n1 and a moat region disposed radially adjacent to the central region. The moat region has a minimum refractive index n2 which is sufficiently low that the index delta &Dgr;2 of the moat region with respect to nc is not greater than −0.1%. The moat region affects the change in dispersion with respect to fiber cladding diameter, as well as providing the pulse-reshaping fiber with low dispersion versus wavelength slope. The pulse-reshaping fiber is particularly useful in association with optical transmission systems where high transmission rates and narrow pulse widths are desired, including components such as high pulse rate wavelength-division-multiplexers (WDMs) and optical regenerators.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical fiber ribbon. The optical fiber ribbon includes a plurality of coated, substantially coplanar optical fibers and a ribbon matrix material which maintains the plurality of coated optical fibers in substantially coplanar alignment. Each of the optical fibers includes a glass core, a cladding layer. surrounding and adjacent to the glass core, and a primary polymeric coating material, preferably containing a silicone, surrounding and adjacent to the cladding layer. The primary polymeric coating material adheres to the cladding layer to form a cladding layer-primary polymeric coating material interface. Upon application of a longitudinal stripping force at the cladding layer-primary polymeric coating material interface, the ribbon matrix material and the primary polymeric coating material are substantially removed from the cladding layer.

Abstract: A single mode optical waveguide fiber designed for high data rate, or WDM systems or systems incorporating optical amplifiers. The optical waveguide has a compound core having a central region and at least one annular region surrounding the central region. A distinguishing feature of the waveguide core is that the minimum refractive index of the central core region is less than the minimum index of the adjacent annular region. A relatively simple profile design has the characteristics of ease in manufacturing together with, flexibility in tailoring Dw to yield a preselected zero dispersion wavelength, dispersion magnitude over a target wavelength range, and dispersion slope. The simplicity of profile gives reduced polarization mode dispersion.