Corning Glass Works

Robert D Maurer

Alan C Bailey

Disclosed are a method and apparatus for improving the fatigue characteristics of a glass optical waveguide fiber. After the fiber is drawn and before it is provided with a protective coating it is heated to a temperature within the annealing temperature range. A filtered gas may be flowed over the fiber during the step of heating.

Method of improving fatigue resistance of optical fibers

A multiple mode optical waveguide includes a glass core and a glass cladding around the core. In order to promote coupling between guided modes of light propagation, the core has cylindrical perturbations spaced along its length. The perturbations include index of refraction variations in rings within the core.

Method for making multiple mode waveguide having cylindrical

Multiple mode waveguide having cylindrical perturbations

An optical waveguide includes a core of high purity fused silica, a cladding of high purity fused silica and a protective coating of metallic glass. The protective coating is applied as a liquid which contracts more than the glass after it solidifies to place the surface of the glass cladding under compression. Because the waveguide will break only under tension, the force of compression must be overcome before the waveguide can be fractured thereby strengthening the waveguide considerably. The metallic glass coating provides further advantages of abrasion protection and the prevention of fatigue.

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Painted Post, NY, United States of America

Robert D Maurer