EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE STRENGTH AND FATIGUE BEHAVIOR OF OPTICAL FIBERS

The fatigue behavior of a polymer-coated fiber and a silicon oxynitride-coated fiber was measured in water between 25 and 90 degree C by the dynamic fatigue test technique where strength is measured as a function of stressing rate. The results are analyzed in terms of stress corrosion theory. It was found that the silicon oxynitride coating reduced fatigue significantly, but caused a large reduction in strength of the fiber. The implications of these results to the design of optical fiber communication cables, where a high reliability must be assured, is discussed.