DEVELOPMENT OF PROCEDURES FOR HERMETIC COATING OF OPTICAL FIBER USING ION DEPOSITION

HERMETIC PROTECTION OF OPTICAL FIBER IS REQUIRED FOR MANY COMMUNICATIONS APPLICATIONS DUE TO THE DEGRADING EFFECTS OF MOISTURE ON THE LONG TERM STRENGTH OF GLASS. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO EVALUATE VARIOUS MATERIALS FOR PLASMA DEPOSITION AS AN EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE FOR HERMETICPROTECTION OF OPTICAL FIBER. COATINGS MATERIALS CONSIDERED FOR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION ARE CLASSIFIED AS DIELECTRICS AND METALLICS. SPECIFIC MATERIALS SELECTED FROM THESE CATEGORIES WILL BE DEPOSITED ON FIBER AS DRAWN FROM CONVENTIONAL RESISTANCE FURNACE. THE COATING ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF DIFFERENT COATINGS OF VARIOUS MATERIALS. THE FURNACE IS VACUUM INTERFACED TO THE COATING MODULE PROVIDINGPROTECTION FROM ATMOSPHERE EXPOSURE PRIOR TO COATING DEPOSITION.