Search

The practical strength of optical fibers was controlled by flaws, usually on the surface. It was well established, furthermore, that such flaws can grow in time so that an initially intact silica optical fiber may undergo delayed fracture from the combined influence of stress levels and the chemical environment as air humidity. On the other hand, glass optical fibers were almost always coated with a polymer immediately after drawing to protect them from subsequent handling damage and from chemical environment. When studying the strength and fatigue properties of the fibers, it was useful to be able to remove this coating in order to directly observe the fatigue properties of the glass in immediate contact with the environment. Silica optical fibers with and without polymer coatings were submitted to bending tests when fibers were aged in air atmosphere and in inert atmosphere. Median fiber strength underlines the role of used atmosphere and that of the polymer coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]