Abstract: A hollow core optical fiber and cable combination is configured to exhibit minimal SNR and loss degradation. This is achieved by either: (1) reducing the coupling between the fundamental and other (unwanted) modes propagating within the hollow core fiber; or (2) increasing the propagation loss along the alternative. The first approach may be achieved by designing the cable to minimize perturbations and/or designing the hollow core fiber to fully separate the fundamental mode from the unwanted modes so as to reduce coupling into the unwanted modes. Whether through fiber design or cable design, the amount of light coupled into unwanted modes is reduced to acceptable levels. The second approach may be realized through either fiber design and/or cable design to suppress the light in unwanted modes so that an acceptably low level of light is coupled back into the fundamental mode.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical cable comprising a support; flexible protective tubes helically wound around the support, each flexible protective tube comprising an optical fiber comprising an optical core; a cladding disposed on the core; and a primary coating external to the cladding; and a deformable material surrounding the optical fiber; an outer jacket surrounding the flexible protective tubes; wherein each optical fiber is about 0.5% to about 1.

Abstract: A hollow core optical fiber and cable combination is configured to exhibit minimal SNR and loss degradation. This is achieved by either: (1) reducing the coupling between the fundamental and other (unwanted) modes propagating within the hollow core fiber; or (2) increasing the propagation loss along the alternative. The first approach may be achieved by designing the cable to minimize perturbations and/or designing the hollow core fiber to fully separate the fundamental mode from the unwanted modes so as to reduce coupling into the unwanted modes. Whether through fiber design or cable design, the amount of light coupled into unwanted modes is reduced to acceptable levels. The second approach may be realized through either fiber design and/or cable design to suppress the light in unwanted modes so that an acceptably low level of light is coupled back into the fundamental mode.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical cable comprising a support; flexible protective tubes helically wound around the support, each flexible protective tube comprising an optical fiber comprising an optical core; a cladding disposed on the core; and a primary coating external to the cladding; and a deformable material surrounding the optical fiber; an outer jacket surrounding the flexible protective tubes; wherein each optical fiber is about 0.5% to about 1.

Abstract: A distributed sensing optical fiber cable is proposed. An optical fiber is positioned at the center of the cable and includes a core region, at least one cladding layer surrounding the core region, a protective coating covering the at least one cladding layer, and a tight buffer of elastomeric thermoplastic material disposed to surround the protective coating. The remainder of the cable structure includes a pair of strength members disposed longitudinally on either side of the optical fiber (the strength members formed of a glass-based, memory-less material) and a hard plastic jacket formed to encase the optical fiber and the pair of strength members, the plastic jacket preferably exhibiting an essentially rectangular profile.

Abstract: A hollow core optical fiber and cable combination is configured to exhibit minimal SNR and loss degradation. This is achieved by either: (1) reducing the coupling between the fundamental and other (unwanted) modes propagating within the hollow core fiber, or (2) increasing the propagation loss along the alternative. The first approach may be achieved by designing the cable to minimize perturbations and/or designing the hollow core fiber to fully separate the fundamental mode from the unwanted modes so as to reduce coupling into the unwanted modes. Whether through fiber design or cable design, the amount of light coupled into unwanted modes is reduced to acceptable levels. The second approach may be realized through either fiber design and/or cable design to suppress the light in unwanted modes so that an acceptably low level of light is coupled back into the fundamental mode.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical cable comprising a plurality of cable sensors helically wound around a support; and an outer jacket that is disposed on the plurality of cable sensors and surrounds the plurality of cable sensors; where each cable sensor comprises an optical fiber; where the optical fiber comprises an optical core upon which is disposed a cladding; a primary coating; a deformable material surrounding the optical fiber; and an outer tube surrounding the deformable material; where the optical fiber is of equal length to the outer tube; and where an allowable strain on the optical cable with zero stress on the optical fiber is determined by equations (1) and (2) below: ? = ? 2 ? ( D + d 2 ) 2 + p 2 p - ? 2 ? ( D - d 2 ) 2 + p 2 p = ? 2 ? dD p 2 = 10 ? ? dD p 2 ( 1 ) ? × 100 = Percent ? ? elongation ? ? or ? ? contraction ; ( 2 ) where d is the amount of optical fiber clearance for free movement

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical cable comprising a plurality of cable sensors helically wound around a support; and an outer jacket that is disposed on the plurality of cable sensors and surrounds the plurality of cable sensors; where each cable sensor comprises an optical fiber; where the optical fiber comprises an optical core upon which is disposed a cladding; a primary coating; a deformable material surrounding the optical fiber; and an outer tube surrounding the deformable material; where the optical fiber is of equal length to the outer tube; and where an allowable strain on the optical cable with zero stress on the optical fiber is determined by equations (1) and (2) below: ? = ? 2 ? ( D + d 2 ) 2 + p 2 p - ? 2 ? ( D - d 2 ) 2 + p 2 p = ? 2 ? dD p 2 = 10 ? ? dD p 2 ( 1 ) ? × 100 = Percent ? ? elongation ? ? or ? ? contraction ; ( 2 ) where d is the amount of optical fiber clearance for free movement

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cable sensor comprising an optical fiber; where the optical fiber comprises an optical core upon which is disposed a cladding; and a primary coating; a deformable material surrounding the optical fiber; and an outer tube surrounding the deformable material; where the optical fiber is longer than the outer tube by an amount of 0.1 to 2%. Disclosed herein too is a method for producing a cable sensor comprising mounting an optical fiber on a spool; where the optical fiber comprises a core; a cladding and a primary coating; charging the optical fiber from the spool to an extruder; extruding an outer tube onto the optical fiber such that a region between the optical fiber and the outer tube comprises a deformable material; elongating the optical fiber and the outer tube together to a desired amount; and relaxing the optical fiber and the outer tube; where the optical fiber retains a larger portion of the elongation than the outer tube.

Abstract: A distributed sensing optical fiber cable is proposed. An optical fiber is positioned at the center of the cable and includes a core region, at least one cladding layer surrounding the core region, a protective coating covering the at least one cladding layer, and a tight buffer of elastomeric thermoplastic material disposed to surround the protective coating. The remainder of the cable structure includes a pair of strength members disposed longitudinally on either side of the optical fiber (the strength members formed of a glass-based, memory-less material) and a hard plastic jacket formed to encase the optical fiber and the pair of strength members, the plastic jacket preferably exhibiting an essentially rectangular profile.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical cable connection comprising a buffer sleeve having an inner portion and an outer portion; where the inner portion comprises an optical core that is operative to transmit light; and a tight buffer layer disposed on the core; where the buffer sleeve is trimmed back at its end to provide an exposed protruding length of the tight buffer layer with the core included therein; where the outer portion of the buffer sleeve is configured to form a socket that is operative to receive a connector ferrule; where the connector ferrule comprises; an annular tubular plug having a center opening; where the annular tubular plug mates with the socket formed in the outer portion of the buffer sleeve; a ferrule seated in the plug; where the ferrule receives the exposed protruding length of the tight buffer layer that extends axially outwardly from the buffer sleeve into the center opening of the ferrule.