Abstract: An optical fiber inventory selection system selects optical fibers from inventory for use in a communication network. In one embodiment, the system includes a vendor computer system that executes code that performs a number of steps. Initially, the system accesses a plurality of optical parameters for each of a plurality of optical fiber reels that are located in inventory. Next, a customer order is received that includes customer requirements for at least a portion of the plurality of optical parameters and a total optical fiber length, and may include requirements for sets of reels, blocks of sets, and batches of blocks. Then, two optical parameters are selected from the plurality of optical parameters that are included in the customer requirements. Next, a number of the optical fiber reels are combined into optical fiber reel pairs that meet the customer requirements for the selected two optical parameters.

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: 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 dispersion compensated multimode waveguide fiber link. The dispersion of essentially any wavelength can be compensated by adding a compensating waveguide fiber to the link, the compensating waveguide having a profile shape and a &lgr;p wavelength which counters dispersion caused by the original waveguide fiber of the link. Analytical expressions relating the compensator waveguide profile and &lgr;p to the original link and compensated profile and &lgr;p are provided for the embodiment which includes a profiles.

Abstract: In the process of drawing optical fibers, a protective plastic coating is applied to the fiber by applying a curable liquid coating material thereto and the subsequently curing the liquid coating to a protective plastic layer. At high fiber draw speeds, air entrained with the fiber enters the liquid coating material and causes bubbles in the cured coating. The incidence of bubbles in the coating is reduced by replacing air adjacent the fiber surface with helium.

Abstract: The fiber-coating concentricity of a coated optical fiber is controlled by non-axisymmetrically heating the coating material in the sizing die with respect to the z-axis along which the fiber is drawn. By controlling the temperature profile and thus the viscosity profile of the coating material, the amount of coating material applied to each azimuthal position of the fiber is controlled as it exits the sizing die. The apparatus that provides the desired temperature profile can also be employed to control the coating diameter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for non-destructive analysis of canes and preforms which contain "striae" in which the cane or preform is transversely illuminated with a beam of light at a wavelength which is long enough to substantially eliminate the effect of striae resulting from variations in dopant concentration.