Corning Incorporated
REDUCED COATING DIAMETER CHLORINE-DOPED SILICA OPTICAL FIBERS WITH LOW LOSS AND MICROBEND SENSITIVITY

Abstract:

The optical fiber disclosed has a glass fiber including a core and a cladding. The core comprises silica glass doped with chlorine and having an outer radius r.sub.1 between 3.0 microns and 10.0 microns. The cladding has an outer radius r.sub.4 not less than 50.0 microns. A primary coating surrounding the cladding has a thickness (r.sub.5-r.sub.4) between 5.0 microns and 20.0 microns, and an in situ modulus less than 0.30 MPa. A secondary coating surrounding the primary coating has a thickness (r.sub.6-r.sub.5) between 8.0 microns and 30.0 microns, a Young's modulus greater than 1500 MPa, and a normalized puncture load greater than 3.6.times.10.sup.-3 g/micron.sup.2. The optical fiber has a 22-meter cable cutoff wavelength less than 1530 nm, an attenuation at 1550 nm of less than 0.17 dB/km, and a bending loss at 1550 nm of less than 3.0 dB/turn.