Abstract: A method for manufacturing optical fibers with filter, wherein a multilayer-film filter is formed at end face of the optical fibers, comprising a process for fixing each of the optical fibers on a fixing jig, a process for polishing the end face of the optical fiber fixed on said fixing jig, a process for film-forming a filter on the end face of the optical fibers after polishing, and a process for taking out said optical fibers from said fixing jigs, respectively, wherein said process for film-forming the filter is performed by forming a fiber bundle in which a plural number of optical fibers after polishing, on which the filter has been film-formed, are tied such that all polished planes are aligned at the end face.

Abstract: A cable for ensuring the authenticity thereof and discouraging the unauthorized counterfeiting of the cable may include a cable core and an opaque outer jacket surrounding the cable core. The jacket may include identifying indicia visible on an inner surface of the opaque outer jacket when opened, but visually obscured from viewing from outside the opaque outer jacket when unopened. The indicia may be integrally molded plastic stripes, for example.

Abstract: Disclosed are fiber optic assemblies having at least one optical fiber and a water-swellable powder within a tube and/or cavity and methods for making the same. Fiber optic assemblies of the present invention use relatively low-levels of water-swellable powder while still effectively blocking the migration of tap water and/or saline solutions of 3% by weight along the tube and/or cavity. Furthermore, cleaning of the optical fibers is not necessary before connectorization like with conventional fiber optic cables that use a gel or grease. Generally speaking, at least some of the water-swellable powder is transferred to the inside surface of the tube, cavity, optical fiber or the like; rather, than being a loose powder that is able to migrate within the tube or cavity. Moreover, the existence of water-swellable powder within the fiber optic assembly or cable is nearly transparent to the craft since relatively low-levels are possible.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an optical fiber 10 comprising a substantially pure silica glass core 12, a concentric tin-doped core/cladding interface region 14, and a concentric fluorine-doped depressed cladding layer 16. The tin-doped core/cladding interface region 14 comprises a low concentration gradient of tin dioxide, which advantageously results in a de minimis refractive index change, resistance to hydrogen incursion, and thermal stability of any fiber Bragg gratings written into the interface region 14.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing microchannel plate according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first step of fabricating a multifiber having a polygonal cross-section by bundling a plurality of fibers; a second step of fabricating a microchannel plate base material by use of a plurality of the multifibers; and a third step of fabricating a microchannel plate out of the microchannel plate base material. The plurality of fibers include: a first fiber whose predetermined-thickness outer circumferential part surrounding a center part including a core is formed of a predetermined-component glass material; and a second fiber whose both center part including a core and outer circumferential part surrounding the same are formed of the predetermined-component glass material. The second fiber is arranged at, at least, one corner of a polygonal cross-section of the multifiber.

Abstract: A device for transmitting data between two structural units connected to one another by an articulated joint has a long service life which permits a high transmission rate in conjunction with particularly small dimensions. The first structural unit includes a first optoelectronic component and the second structural unit includes a second optoelectronic component, the first optoelectronic component being connected to the second optoelectronic component via at least one optical fiber. One end of the optical fiber is brought into contact with the first optoelectronic component via a molded interconnect device (MID) plug connection and the other end is brought into contact with the second optoelectronic component via another MID plug connection.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable comprising at least one light transmitter extending longitudinally along the cable and a body encompassing the light transmitter. The body includes an exposed surface having an array of fastener elements extending therefrom. The fastener elements arranged and constructed to engage mating fastener elements associated with a supporting surface to selectively secure the cable to the supporting surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides process for fabricating an optical fiber assembly that includes two or more integral optical fiber elements having different interface characteristics, where at least one of the elements is a fiber optic device (fiber grating, in-fiber polarizer, coupler, mode filter, etc.), and where the length, and thus the cost, of each fiber optic device is advantageously optimized. The inventive process utilizes a two-stage approach, where at a first process stage, one or more optical fibers are spliced to one or more predetermined optical fiber device preforms (usable to fabricate one or more optical fiber devices), and where at a second process stage, one or more preform processing techniques (such as one or more of: drawing, twisting, etching, wrapping, etc.), are applied to the one or more preforms, to fabricate one or more corresponding optical fiber devices that are already integral with the optical fibers on one or both ends, thus forming the desirable optical fiber assembly.

Abstract: A telecommunication optical cable has a number of optical fibers; at least a microsheath loosely containing the optical fibers, the at least one microsheath loosely containing the optical fibers therein forming at least one corresponding microbundle, wherein the optical fibers are stranded according to an open helix trajectory.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of manufacturing electrical cables. In one embodiment of the invention, method for manufacturing a wellbore cable includes providing at least one insulated conductor, extruding a first polymeric material layer over the insulated conductor, serving a first layer of armor wires around the polymeric material and embedding the armor wires in the first polymeric material by exposure to an electromagnetic radiation source, followed by and extruding a second polymeric material layer over the first layer of armor wires embedded in the first polymeric material layer. Then, a second layer of armor wires may be served around the second polymeric material layer, and embedded therein by exposure to an electromagnetic radiation source. Finally, a third polymeric layer may be extruded around the second layer of armor wires to form a polymeric jacket.

Abstract: A preform for a microstructured fibre or a part for a preform for a microstructured fibre. The preform or part has a length in the longitudinal direction and a cross section perpendicular thereto, and includes a rod arranged at the centre of the preform or part, with one or more tubes being concentric to the rod. The rod is sleeved inside a first of the concentric tubes, and the rod and/or at least one of the concentric tubes has grooves and/or slits extending in the longitudinal direction, with the number of innermost longitudinally extending grooves and/or slits with respect to a centre of the preform or part being at least six.

Abstract: A process for producing an optical fiber cable composite structural component, such as reinforcing members, buffer tubes, filler rods, jackets, and slotted cores, is disclosed. The composite structural components are produced by co-extruding a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) and a thermoplastic matrix material into the composite structural component so that TLCP reinforcing fibrils are dispersed in the thermoplastic matrix material. The TLCP reinforcing fibrils undergo a high level of process induced orientation, are provided with a high aspect ratio, and small diameters. The composite structural component has a high modulus. The TLCP reinforcing fibrils may be made continuous or discontinuous.

Abstract: An optical switch is provided with an optical-fiber-arraying-member 1 in which a plurality of optical fiber fixing grooves 1a extending along radial directions of a virtual circle are radially formed in a predetermined surface of a base material, a plurality of array-side optical fibers 2 arrayed in the plurality of optical fiber fixing grooves 1a of the optical-fiber-arraying-member 1, and a moving-side optical fiber 4 to be selectively optically connected to either of the plurality of array-side optical fibers 2; the moving-side optical fiber 4 and the optical-fiber-arraying-member 1 are rotated relative to each other about a center axis 1o of the virtual circle, and the moving-side optical fiber 4 is selectively optically connected to the array-side optical fiber 2 selected.

Abstract: A flexible optical element useful for optical wiring is provided, in which a light emitting portion is disposed to a core end face of a flexible polymeric optical waveguide channel sheet having a film substrate clad, a core and a clad layer covering the core. A method which enables of manufacturing the optical element in a simple and convenient manner at a low cost is also provided.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method and apparatus for manufacturing a sheet and a two-dimensional matrix of plastic optical fibers. The fibers may be of the step-index or graded-index type. Co-extrusion through a specially designed die is used to produce a sheet composed of a fiber array. The fiber sheet (ribbon) can be used for transmitting optical signals. These arrays may also be stacked and fused at high temperatures to form the two-dimensional matrix required for many applications such as large area image transfer. In addition, a high-speed, continuous manufacturing method is disclosed to produce a massive two-dimensional matrix of fibers. The method of manufacture permits high quality image transfer at low manufacturing cost in a wide array of geometries.

Abstract: A method for producing a polymer optical waveguide including: (1) preparing a template that is made of a template forming curable resin and has a concave portion, (2) applying an ozone treatment or irradiating light having a wavelength of 300 nm or less to at least one of a surface of the template having the concave portion and a core formation surface of a cladding film substrate, (3) bringing the cladding film substrate into close contact with the template, (4) filling a core forming curable resin into the concave portion of the template with which the cladding film substrate is in close contact, (5) curing the filled core forming curable resin to form a core, (6) removing the template from the cladding film substrate, and (7) forming a cladding layer on the cladding film substrate on which the core has been formed.

Abstract: Undesired and unforeseeable shrinkage may occur in a tube of plastic material containing optical fibres following its manufacture, especially during storage when the tube is wound on a reel. As a result, there may be uncontrollable variations of the ratio between length of the tube and length of the optical fibre contained therein (“excess fibre variation”). A method and equipment for limiting the excess fibre variations in a plastic tube, by stretching the tube by a predefined amount during manufacturing are described. The present invention also relates to a plastic tube subjected to a predefined stretching, a cable made of such a tube and the equipment suitable for manufacturing such a tube.

Abstract: The degradation of characteristics of an optical cable due to generation of voids caused by gasification of a fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) can be prevented in a method of manufacturing an optical cable, in which an optical fiber and a tension member made of a FRP are coated by extruding a thermoplastic resin around them, the temperature of the thermoplastic resin during extrusion being controlled in the range of 160° C. to 190° C.

Abstract: Chemically or biochemically active agents or other species are patterned on a substrate surface by providing a micromold having a contoured surface and forming, on a substrate surface, a chemically or biochemically active agent or fluid precursor of a structure. A chemically or biochemically active agent or fluid precursor also can be transferred from indentations in an applicator to a substrate surface. The substrate surface can be planar or non-planar. Fluid precursors of polymeric structures, inorganic ceramics and salts, and the like can be used to form patterned polymeric articles, inorganic salts and ceramics, reactive ion etch masks, etc. at the surface. The articles can be formed in a pattern including a portion having a lateral dimension of less than about 1 millimeter or smaller. The indentation pattern of the applicator can be used to transfer separate, distinct chemically or biochemically active agents or fluid precursors to separate, isolated regions of a substrate surface.

Abstract: A subject matter of the invention is a batchwise process for the manufacture of an optical fiber made of polymers, the core of the fiber being based on methyl methacrylate. This process is carried out in an in-line plant leaktight with respect to the outside ranging from a device for the purification of the starting materials to a spinning device, involving the intermediacy of an intermediate storage region. The core of the fiber is prepared from beads of a polymer based on purified methyl methacrylate obtained by aqueous suspension polymerization. Another subject matter of the invention is an in-line plant for the implementation of this process.

Abstract: A dispersion compensating fiber 1 is placed in the form of a coil or bundle within a housing 2, and a filling material 3 having a viscosity of 0.01 Pa·s to 0.6 Pa·s at normal temperature before curing is filled in a space around the dispersion compensating fiber 1 within the housing 2 and then the filling material is cured. As a result, a change of transmission loss caused by a temperature variation due to heat cycles of the dispersion compensator can be reduced. A difference in transmission loss can be further reduced by employing a method of placing the dispersion compensating fiber in the housing in the form of a loosely wound bundle and then pouring the filling material, or a method of applying vibration to the housing, in which the dispersion compensating fiber is placed, when pouring the filling material.

Abstract: A process for producing a polymer optical waveguide including the steps of: preparing a mold by applying a mold-forming resin layer onto a master template, peeling the layer from the master template to obtain a template, and cutting both ends of the template to expose a concave portion; bringing the mold into close contact with a film used for a cladding layer; introducing, by capillarity, a UV-curable resin or heat-curable resin by contacting the resin with one end of the mold; curing the introduced resin and removing the mold from the film; and forming a cladding layer on film on which the core has been formed, wherein a sectional area, a sectional shape, or both of a sectional area and a sectional shape of the core changes in a longitudinal direction of the core, and both end faces of the core have different areas.

Abstract: An optical fiber ribbonizing apparatus is disclosed which arranges a plurality of optical fibers in parallel, applies a resin to peripheries of the plurality of optical fibers, and hardens the resin to form the optical fibers into a ribbon. The apparatus comprises a ribbonizing jig integrally including an optical fiber aligning mechanism for aligning the plurality of optical fibers in parallel, a resin applying mechanism for applying the resin to the optical fibers aligned by the fiber aligning mechanism and a resin hardening device for hardening the resin applied to the optical fibers by the resin applying mechanism, the optical fiber aligning mechanism, the resin applying mechanism and the resin hardening device being arranged in a line in an optical fiber inserting direction, and movement mechanism for moving at least one of the ribbonizing jig and the optical fibers in a predetermined direction relative to the other.

Abstract: A solid-stranding method and apparatus for forming optical cables. Solid-stranding combines buffering and stranding operations, as well as performs the stranding operation while the flextubes are still hot so that they adhere together without additional binders. Optical fibers and/or wires are supplied to an extruder which forms flextubes around individual ones or groups of the optical fibers and/or wires. A central element may be supplied to, and go through, the center of the extruder. A rotating pulling device, such as a caterpillar, helically or in an SZ-manner solid-strands the flextubes around the central element—or solid-strands the flextubes to themselves when no central element is present—as the flextubes cool down. That is, solid-stranding includes buffering and stranding operations that are performed together without a water cooling stage therebetween. Thus, the flextubes adhere together, and may adhere to the central member, thereby forming a solid-stranded composite core.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement in connection with a secondary coating line, in which method a fiber, fibers or fiber bundles are unwound from payoff reels (1) and guided to a press (4) by which a secondary sheath is formed around the fiber(s) or the fiber bundles and grease is fed into the secondary sheath, and in which method the assembly formed by the secondary sheath and the fiber(s) or the fiber bundles is pulled at a constant rate and low tension to a winding device (15) through cooling means (5, 6). In order to control the difference in length between the fibers and the secondary sheath, the difference in length between the fibers and the secondary sheath is arranged to be adjusted by adjusting fiber tension by moving the fixing point between the fibers and the secondary sheath along a straight part formed in the relaxation part by using wheel structures (8, 10).

Abstract: An optical fiber ribbon cord 10 comprising a plurality of tension fibers 13 juxtaposed along about an optical fiber ribbon 11 and a sheath 14 composed of a resin covering all the exteriors thereof, wherein at least one tape body 15 with higher Young's modulus than that of the sheath is inserted within the interior A of a side wall in the minor axis of the sheath.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing an optical medium, an extended optical conductor containing active substance is formed to a predetermined shape by the use of resin by repeatedly folding or winding the optical conductor. A laser light beam or an amplified light beam is outputted from an edge portion of the optical conductor by absorbing an excitation light beam incident from the side surface of the optical conductor into the active substance through the resin. Thermoplastic resin is used as the resin. The thermoplastic resin transmits the excitation light beam. The resin is heated up to a glass transition temperature or higher. The optical conductor and the resin are bonded to each other so as to constitute a predetermined shape. The resin is cured.

Abstract: The present invention introduces a concept of “smart” ribbons, which use functionally tensioned optical fibers during the manufacture of fiber optic ribbons to create fiber ribbons with controlled geometrical configuration, optimized strain distribution and reduced attenuation. The ribbons may have flat or bowed cross section and be straight along the length or curved in its plane, or twisted unidirectionally, or periodically. These shapes and residual stress-strain state are induced and controlled by using tension functions instead of traditional constant-value tension per fiber during the ribbon manufacture. Further, the present invention reduces signal loss and/or attenuation in ribbon fibers caused by an increase in the strain variation from tensile strain to compressive strain along the length of the individual fibers when ribbons are manufactured, stacked, stranded around a strength member or twisted and bent during cable installation.

Abstract: Optical core for a telecommunications cable comprising at least one support consisting of a central reinforcing member and a first coating layer of a thermoplastic polymer applied around the central member, a plurality of optical fibres arranged around the support and a second coating layer extruded around the support. The optical fibres, in each transverse section of the core, are arranged substantially tangential to the support and, around their remaining portion, are completely encapsulated in the second coating layer. The core can be built using a process wherein the fibres are guided inside appropriate grooves to give conditions of substantial tangency to the support as far as the zone of extrusion.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method and apparatus for manufacturing a sheet and a two-dimensional matrix of plastic optical fibers. The fibers may be of the step-index or graded-index type. Co-extrusion through a specially designed die is used to produce a sheet composed of a fiber array. The fiber sheet (ribbon) can be used for transmitting optical signals. These arrays may also be stacked and fused at high temperatures to form the two-dimensional matrix required for many applications such as large area image transfer. In addition, a high-speed, continuous manufacturing method is disclosed to produce a massive two-dimensional matrix of fibers. The method of manufacture permits high quality image transfer at low manufacturing cost in a wide array of geometries.

Abstract: In a method of making a ribbon type coated optical fiber 3 comprising the step of inserting a plurality of optical fibers 1 flatly arranged parallel to each other through a die orifice 11a so as to collectively coat the optical fibers with a coating resin 2, the ratio W/H of a clearance W in the width direction between the inner surface of the die orifice 11a and the outer surface of the optical fibers 1 to a clearance H in the thickness direction therebetween is set within the range of 1.0 to 2.5.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable comprising optical fiber units 12 disposed within an extruded sheath 14 with water absorbent powder 16 being provided between the optical fiber unit or units and the sheath, the fiber units pass through an extruder cross-head 36 extruding said sheath 14 together with a tape 22 transporting the water absorbent powder 16. The tape is formed upstream of said extruder crosshead 36 into a channel into which said water absorbent powder is delivered and the tape is adhered to the inside surface 24 of said sheath 14 by fusion thereto.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of installing cables, in particular glass-fiber cables, in drinking water pipes and also to a cable suitable for drinking water pipe installation. In order to avoid contamination of the cable and to exclude contamination of the drinking water, provision is made that the cable is covered with a protective sheathing that is stripped off prior to contact with the drinking water. A cable suitable for this purpose can be covered already during its production process with the strippable protective sheathing.

Abstract: Undesired and unforeseeable shrinkage may occur in a tube of plastic material containing optical fibres following its manufacture, especially during storage when the tube is wound on a reel. As a result, there may be uncontrollable variations of the ratio between length of the tube and length of the optical fibre contained therein (“excess fibre variation”). A method and equipment for limiting the excess fibre variations in a plastic tube, by stretching the tube by a predefined amount during manufacturing are described. The present invention also relates to a plastic tube subjected to a predefined stretching, a cable made of such a tube and the equipment suitable for manufacturing such a tube.

Abstract: To provide a ribboned polarization-maintaining fiber capable of not only easily manufacturing a polarization-maintaining optical fiber array with multiple fibers but also improving the work efficiency and yield and a manufacturing method therefor, and a polarization-maintaining optical fiber array using the ribboned fiber. A ribboned polarization-maintaining fiber is formed of a plurality of polarization-maintaining fibers, and partially has a ribbon portion of 2 to 300 mm in length. This ribboned polarization-maintaining fiber is manufactured by arranging the polarization-maintaining fibers with an exact pitch width while the end face of the polarization-maintaining fiber is rotationally adjusted so as to have a predetermined plane of polarization and then by fixing and coating a part thereof by and with an adhesive, thereby forming a ribbon portion.

Abstract: A method for creating surface modification onto a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane composite is described. The method comprises the steps of a) drawing a fiber bundle through a heated thermoplastic polyurethane resin melt to impregnate the fiber bundle with the resin to form a wetted fiber bundle; b) wrapping a thermoplastic film over the wetted fiber bundle to provide surface modification over the wetted fiber bundle; and c) cooling and shaping the surface modified wetted fiber bundle to form the surface modified fiber reinforced composite. This method creates surface modification that imparts a variety of properties onto the surface including transparency, paintability, ignition resistance, scratch resistance, abrasion resistance, reflectiveness, and resistance to dust build-up.

Abstract: A collectively coating die device (2) is provided for applying coating resin in a lump to coated optical fibers (1) arranged in parallel on one and the same plane so as to form a plurality of optical fiber ribbons (16) at the same time. The collectively coating die device (2) has a nipple portion (9) and a die portion (10), a resin accumulation space (8) formed between the nipple portion (9) and the die portion (10). The nipple portion (9) has two parallel planes and having a plurality of optical fiber passageways (13) shaped like ellipses in section and provided in the direction perpendicular to the planes. The die portion (10) has two parallel planes and has a plurality of optical fiber passageways (14) shaped like ellipses in section and is provided in the direction perpendicular to the planes. Each of the optical fiber passageways (13) of the nipple portion (9) has a tapered portion.

Abstract: A hexagonal mold is formed by a unitary base and a unitary cover. Each of the base and the cover form three of the six surfaces of a hexagonal mold cavity when the cover is placed on top of the base. The hexagonal mold may be used to form field emission display spacers and field emission display microchannels by placing etchable single fibers in the hexagonal mold to form hexagonal multiple fiber preforms. The preforms are then drawn to form multiple fibers that are placed in a rectangular mold to form a rectangular fiber block. The rectangular fiber block is then sliced into sheets which are then placed between a field emission display baseplate and a field emission display faceplate.

Abstract: A cable system is provided which can accommodate electrical and optical cabling. The conductors of the system employ a layer which is impedance-matched to space, decreasing their cross-section to electromagnetic interference. The conductors of the system also employ a layer which symmetrizes electromagnetic interference signals, reducing the effect of interference and crosstalk on the signals carried by the conductors. The system also includes a node interface device for connection to a global electrical and fiber network. The node interface device connects to a user interface device through the cable.