US5000541A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hermetically sealed optical fibers
Assignee: Furukawa Electric North America Inc
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Filing: 1989-09-27
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Granted: 1991-03-19
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Expires: 2009-09-27
Abstract
Abstract A hermetically coated optical fiber is produced by contacting a hot fiber with an organic material such as acetylene. The heat of the fiber causes decomposition and results in a hermetic, carbonaceous coating. This coating is essentially impermeable to both water and hydrogen.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank V. DiMarcello
- 👤 Richard G. Huff
- 👤 Paul J. Lemaire
- 👤 Kenneth L. Walker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 02:58
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4401; G02B6/4429; G02B6/44382; C; C03; C03C; C03C25/00; C03C25/10; C03C25/104; C03C25/106; C03C25/1061; C03C25/1062
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A process for producing a coated optical fiber comprising the steps of drawing a fiber from a heated glass body and contacting said fiber with a gas to induce the formation of a coating on said fiber characterized in that said gas comprises a carbonaceous composition, and said contact occurs when said fiber has a temperature sufficiently high to induce a reaction at the surface of said fiber that results in the formation of an adherent carbon coating comprising a crosslinked carbon network and is sufficiently low to avoid the formation of a diamond-like coating.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
A process for producing a coated optical fiber comprising the steps of drawing a fiber from a heated glass body and contacting said fiber with a gas to induce the formation of a coating on said fiber characterized in that said gas comprises a carbonaceous composition, and said contact occurs when said fiber has a temperature sufficiently high to induce a reaction at the surface of said fiber that results in the formation of an adherent carbon coating comprising a crosslinked carbon network and is sufficiently low to avoid the formation of a diamond-like coating.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said gas comprises an alkynyl.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said alkynyl comprises acetylene.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 3 wherein said gas includes a chlorine containing composition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said chlorine containing composition comprises a gas chosen from the group consisting of trichloroethylene and chlorine.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 5 wherein said coated fiber is subjected to a heat treatment.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said fiber undergoes said contact sequentially, first with a composition comprising a getterer containing gas and said carbonaceous composition and then with a second carbonaceous composition in the absence of said getterer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 7 wherein said carbonaceous composition comprises acetylene.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 7 wherein said getterer comprises a chlorine containing composition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 9 wherein said chlorine containing composition comprises trichloroethylene.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 7 wherein said second carbonaceous composition comprises acetylene.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 11 wherein said carbonaceous composition comprises acetylene.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said carbon coating is overcoated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said gas includes an entity chosen from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, and fluorine.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said fiber contains a getterer for hydrogen or water.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said glass body comprises a fiber preform.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said temperature is in the range 700 to 900 degrees C.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said gas comprises benzene.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said gas includes a member of the group consisting of chlorine, iodine, fluorine and carbon tetrachloride.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the process of claim 1.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
50 words
A process for producing a coated optical fiber comprising the steps of drawing a fiber from a heated glass body and contacting said fiber with a gas to induce formation of an hermetic coating characterized in that a getterer is introduced to remove hydrogen or water trapped by said coating.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
50 words
A process for producing a coated optical fiber comprising the steps of drawing a fiber from a heated glass body and contacting said fiber with a gas to induce formation of an hermetic coating characterized in that a getterer is introduced to remove hydrogen or water trapped by said coating.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 21 wherein said getterer is in said fiber.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 21 wherein said getterer is introduced in said gas.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 23 wherein said getterer comprises a chlorine containing compound.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 24 wherein said chlorine containing compound comprises a gas chosen from the group consisting of trichloroethylene and chlorine.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
52 words
A process for producing a structure comprising a coated optical fiber said process comprising the step of drawing a fiber including a core and a cladding from a heated glass body and coating said fiber characterized in that a getterer for hydrogen or water is introduced into the periphery of said cladding.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
52 words
A process for producing a structure comprising a coated optical fiber said process comprising the step of drawing a fiber including a core and a cladding from a heated glass body and coating said fiber characterized in that a getterer for hydrogen or water is introduced into the periphery of said cladding.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 26 wherein said coating is formed by subjecting said heated fiber to a gas at a temperature sufficient to induce formation of a non-diamond-like crosslinked carbon network.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
80 words
A coated fiber comprising a glass fiber capable of guiding electromagnetic radiation and a coating characterized in that said coating is non-diamond-like, comprises a crosslinked carbon network and has an hermeticity such that the loss measured at 1.24 μm in 1 atm. of hydrogen and at the use temperature does not increase more than 0.05 dB/km in a time period shorter than 1/140 of the desired use period and such that the static fatigue, n, value is greater than 70.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
80 words
A coated fiber comprising a glass fiber capable of guiding electromagnetic radiation and a coating characterized in that said coating is non-diamond-like, comprises a crosslinked carbon network and has an hermeticity such that the loss measured at 1.24 μm in 1 atm. of hydrogen and at the use temperature does not increase more than 0.05 dB/km in a time period shorter than 1/140 of the desired use period and such that the static fatigue, n, value is greater than 70.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The coated fiber of claim 28 wherein said time period is shorter than 1/45 the desired use period.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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