Abstract: An electrical cable includes a conductor, an outer sheath, and a self-repairing material layer between the conductor and outer sheath. The self-repairing material layer is distributed around the conductor in a discontinuous manner. An anchor portion is formed between the conductor and the outer sheath.

Abstract: A WDM system includes a transmission station, a receiving station, a first optical path and a second optical path. The first optical path includes a first section and a second section, the second section being capable of compensating at least partially the dispersion accumulated by a series of optical channels along the first section. The series of channels includes at least a first plurality of channels having an average dispersion of the same sign in the first optical path. The system also includes at least a first conversion device, capable of inverting the spectrum and modifying the wavelength of at least the first plurality of channels, to produce a second plurality of channels having an average chromatic dispersion of the same sign in the second optical path.

Abstract: Electric cable (20), in particular for power transmission or distribution at medium or high voltage, comprising a metallic screen (5) and a water swellable layer (21) capable of forming a barrier to the water penetration provided in a position radially external to said metallic screen (5). Said water swellable layer (21) is made of an expanded polymeric material in which a water swellable material preferably in the form of powder, is embedded.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously introducing a substance in liquid phase into plastics granules includes a supporting structure adapted to support in series and in substantial vertical alignment a feeding section, at least one mixing chamber, and at least one drying chamber. The feeding section is provided with means for feeding the granules to at least one spraying chamber provided with means for spraying the substance onto the granules. The at least one mixing chamber of the granules partially or totally coated with the substance includes substantially static mixing means supported in the at least one mixing chamber. The at least one drying chamber is adapted to receive a predetermined amount of the granules coated with the substance. The substantially static mixing means may include, for example, at least one static mixer, a plurality of mixing bars, or at least two superimposed groups of mixing bars.

Abstract: A branching unit for use in submarine systems that includes a ground termination; first, second, and third cable terminations each coupled to a power feed line of a respective submarine cable; a re-configuration relay in series between the first cable termination and the ground termination, the re-configuration relay being unidirectional and having at least one contact positioned in series between the second and third terminations, the at least one contact being closed when the re-configuration relay is de-energized; and a bypass relay in series between the second and third cable terminations, the bypass relay having a contact positioned in parallel with the reconfiguration relay and being open when the bypass relay is de-energized.

Abstract: Self-extinguishing cable, in particular an electrical cable for low-voltage or medium-voltage power transmission or distribution of data transmission, having at least one conductor and at least one flame-retardant coating positioned externally to the conductor. The flame-retardant coating is produced from an expanded polymeric material which incorporates at least one intumescent agent.

Abstract: A method of terminating at least one conductor of a superconducting cable comprising a plurality of superconducting tapes, comprising the steps of associating an electrically conductive connector radially at the at least one conductor, embedding and end of the superconducting tapes in a thermosetting resin, embedding an end portion of the superconducting tapes in a solder and achieving an electric contact by the solder. Moreover, the invention relates to a terminated conductor of a superconducting cable, a superconducting cable, a joint between conductors of two superconducting cables, a current transmission/distribution network, and a terminator for at least one conductor of a superconducting cable that embody the above method.

Abstract: A wavelength converter or demultiplexer device comprising first and second stages (30, 40). For wavelength converter action, the first stage impresses an intensity modulation (IM) and phase modulation (PM) on a CW input signal (?1) carried by an input DATA signal (?2) using cross phase modulation in a non-linear optical element (46). The first stage in an embodiment is a semiconductor laser amplifier loop optical mirror (SLALOM) which has a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) as the non-linear optical element. The second stage has a non-linear transfer function and impresses a further IM on the optical signal responsive to the PM impressed in the first stage. In an embodiment, the second stage is a polarization maintaining fiber (PMF) optical loop. The transfer function of the overall device is thus improved by making it steeper and more time confined.

Abstract: A half-dispersion-shifted single mode optical transmission fiber (HDSF) having a core and a cladding. The core has an inner core with a first refractive-index difference and a first glass layer surrounding the inner core and having a second refractive-index difference. The HDSF fiber has a peak refractive index difference of less than or equal to about 0.0140, a zero-dispersion wavelength greater than 1450 nm and lower than 1500 nm, a dispersion value of between about 6 and 11 ps/nm/km at an operating wavelength of about 1560 nm and an effective area of at least 60 ?m2. The cabled HDSF fiber has cutoff wavelength of less than about 1500 nm.

Abstract: A heat treatment chamber (30) is provided comprising a treatment region containing a charge (5) of compound material comprising a plurality of n atomic species, each atomic species being associated with at least one gas species. The chamber (30) is placed in a furnace (7). The chamber has a gas permeable barrier, constituted by a plug (4) and wadding (6), which partially encloses the treatment region. The barrier serves as an effusive hole to inhibit, but not prevent, gas vapour release, thereby to elevate the gas vapour pressure in the treatment region. Application of inert gas through a valve (8) is also used to increase background pressure in the treatment region during heat treatment. The elevated gas pressures present in the treatment region during treatment are measurable in an absorption cell (3) adjacent to the treatment region. It is thus possible to monitor the gas pressures during heat treatment and thereby stop the heat treatment once a desired charge stoichiometry is achieved.

Abstract: A superconducting cable comprising at least a superconducting conductor and a cryostat, including a thermal insulation and an inner tube, with a protecting element between the superconducting conductor and the inner tube, to prevent damages to the superconducting material by the inner tube of the cryostat.

Abstract: A hybrid waveguide structure having a combination of buried waveguide sections and ridge waveguide sections on the same substrate, share a common core layer. The buried waveguide sections provide the low index contrast desirable for couplers and other device components. The ridge waveguide sections provide the high index contrast needed for efficient low-loss tightly curved waveguides. The devices are fabricated starting from a low index contrast buried waveguide. Cladding material is then selectively removed by etching down from an upper surface either side of the waveguide core to a lower surface. This forms an enhanced index contrast ridge section of the waveguide. The other sections of the waveguide core remain buried and thus retain lower index contrast.

Abstract: An electrical cable having at least one conductor and at least one extruded insulating coating layer. The extruded insulating coating layer includes a polymeric composition having a polyethylene grafted with at least one unsaturated carboxylic acid of general formula (I): in which: R represents H or CH3; n represents 0 or 1. The grafted polyethylene is derived from polyethylene, a radical initiator and at least one unsaturated carboxylic acid of general formula (I) in free form; and the unsaturated carboxylic acid is present in an amount of between 0.0006% and 0.25% by weight. The amount is expressed as the weight content of —COOH groups relative to the total weight of the polymeric composition.

Abstract: In an interferometer configuration, a retarder in the form of a half-wave plate (125) and a phase shifter in the form of a glass plate (120) are arranged in one arm (114). The phase shifter provides an optical path difference between the interferometer arms which needs to be greater than the coherence length of the input light to be polarization stabilized. A polarizer in the form of a linear polarizer (118) aligned at 45° to the half-wave plate is arranged across both interferometer arms (114 & 116). Polarization stabilization action is achieved by the retarder in combination with the polarizer. More specifically, for at least one input polarization state, the polarization states in the two interferometer arms are rendered orthogonal by the retarder, the polarizer being aligned to allow only one of the two orthogonal states to be transmitted, the other being absorbed. The device is expected to find application for WDM networks based on broadband sources, such as superluminescent diodes.

Abstract: A compensating optical fiber length having a negative chromatic dispersion slope, the compensating optical fiber having a core region surrounded by a cladding region, the cladding region defining a first ring of holes, which substantially defines, around the core region an annulus with an inner radius r1 and an outer radius r2, and at least one second ring of holes that surrounds the first ring of holes, the holes running along the compensating optical fiber longitudinally and being spaced apart from each other substantially according to a predefined pitch ?, wherein a) r1??/n?r2 where n is the refractive index of the material making up the core region of the compensating optical fiber length; b) the holes of the first and the at least one second ring are substantially of the same diameter d; and c) the ratio d/? substantially satisfies the following relationship (A) 0.8?d/?<1.

Abstract: Self-extinguishing cable coated with a flame-retardant composition having: (a) an ethylene homopolymer or copolymer having a density of from 0.905 to 0.970 g/cm3, and being selected from: ethylene homopolymers: copolymers of ethylene with an alpha-olefin; copolymers of ethylene with an ethylenically unsaturated ester; or mixtures thereof; (b) a copolymer of ethylene with at least one alpha-olefin, and optionally with a diene, said copolymer (b) having a density of from 0.860 to 0.904 g/cm3, and having a composition distribution index greater than 45%; (c) natural magnesium hydroxide in an amount such as to impart flame-retardant properties; wherein at least one of the polymeric components (a) and (b) contains hydrolyzable organic silane groups grafted onto the polymer chain. The silane groups are preferably introduced during compounding of the flame-retardant composition by adding to the polymer mixture a suitable silane compound and a radical initiator.

Abstract: A method for determining at least one parameter of a periodic spin function ?(z) with period p, to be applied to an optical fiber along its length z during a drawing process. At least one parameter is selected so that (I) where ?1 is about 0.05 and y1 is the first of the three components y1(z), y2(z), y3(z) of a periodic function y(z) of period p such that (II) where LB is an expected beat length of said optical fiber and ?(z) is the derivative of the spin function ?(z) with respect to the length z. The method is effective for substantially reducing the PMD of optical fibers drawn when applying a spin function.

Abstract: A network for distributing signals to a plurality of user apparatuses having a distribution unit with a plurality of ports, and a plurality of optical-fiber cables connected to the ports and suitable to make the plurality of ports of the distribution unit communicate with the plurality of user apparatuses. At least one of the plurality of optical-fiber cables is an electrically terminated optical cable having an optical cable with a single-mode optical fiber and an opto-electronic end portion mechanically and permanently connected to an end of the optical cable, and the opto-electronic end portion has an opto-electronic conversion device having an optic port optically aligned with and mechanically connected to, an end of the single-mode optical fiber.

Abstract: A cable with recyclable covering, particularly for transporting or distributing medium or high voltage energy, in which at least one covering layer is based on a thermoplastic polymer material of a propylene homopolymer or a copolymer of propylene with ethylene or an ?-olefin other than propylene in mixture with a dielectric liquid. The cable possesses superior mechanical and electrical properties, including high dielectric strength, in particular enabling it to be used at high operating temperature.

Abstract: An optical transmission fiber for use in a wavelength division multiplexing transmission system is disclosed. The transmission fiber includes an inner core surrounded by a first, second and at least a third glass layer along the length of the fiber. The first glass layer has a depressed refractive-index difference and the second glass layer has a refractive-index difference of substantially zero. The third glass layer has a positive refractive-index difference. The fiber has an improved relationship between dispersion slope and depressed profile volume. The fiber can have a dispersion value of at least 1.5 ps/nm/km and a dispersion slope of less than about 0.07 ps/nm2/km over an extended range of carrier wavelengths for the transmission system, such as the range 1450-1650 nm.