Corning Incorporated
OPTICAL FIBERS WITH THIN COATINGS

Abstract:

An optical fiber includes an outer diameter less than 220 .mu.m, a glass fiber that includes a glass core and a glass cladding, a primary coating, and a secondary coating. The glass cladding surrounds and is in direct contact with the glass core. The primary coating surrounds and is in direct contact with the glass fiber. The primary coating can have a Young's modulus less than 0.5 MPa and a thickness less than 30.0 .mu.m. The secondary coating surrounds and is in direct contact with the primary coating. The secondary coating can have a thickness less than 27.5 .mu.m. A pullout force of the optical fiber can be less than a predetermined threshold when in an as-drawn state. The pullout force may increase by less than a factor of 2.0 upon aging the primary and secondary coatings on the glass fiber for at least 60 days.