Reduced-Diameter Optical Fiber Coating for Strength and Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical fibers with reduced coating layers suffer from decreased strength and adhesive force, making them prone to deformation and damage, which complicates protection of the quartz layer.
Innovation Solution
A reduced-diameter low-loss optical fiber design featuring a quartz layer, an adhesive layer with a silane coupling agent, a first coating layer, and a second coating layer with reinforcing members, such as nanotubes, to enhance adhesive force and strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the thickness of the coating layer is reduced to decrease optical fiber diameter, then the transmission capacity of the optical cable increases, but the strength of the optical fiber decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by incorporating reinforcing members (such as nanotubes or fibers) into the coating layer to create a composite structure. This composite coating layer maintains the reduced diameter necessary for high transmission capacity while gaining enhanced mechanical strength from the reinforcing members, thus resolving the contradiction between reduced diameter and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the reinforcing members specifically within the coating layer where mechanical strength is needed, while keeping the quartz layer diameter small for transmission capacity. The reinforcing members are distributed locally in the coating layer to provide strength exactly where required without increasing the overall fiber diameter.
2Productivity
If the thickness of the coating layer is reduced to decrease optical fiber diameter, then the transmission capacity of the optical cable increases, but the adhesive force between the coating layer and the quartz layer decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials in the coating layer containing reinforcing members that also serve to enhance adhesive force. The composite structure provides both mechanical strength and improved bonding between the coating layer and quartz layer, maintaining reliability while keeping the fiber diameter reduced for high transmission capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the composition and structure of the coating layer, specifically by adding reinforcing members and adjusting the coating formulation. These parameter changes enhance the adhesive force between the coating layer and quartz layer while maintaining the reduced thickness necessary for high transmission capacity.
3Productivity
If the thickness of the coating layer is reduced to decrease optical fiber diameter, then the transmission capacity of the optical cable increases, but the protection of the quartz layer becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by incorporating reinforcing members into the coating layer to create a protective composite structure. This composite coating layer provides enhanced mechanical protection to the quartz layer while maintaining the reduced diameter necessary for high transmission capacity, thus resolving the contradiction between reduced diameter and protection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the protective reinforcing members specifically in the coating layer where protection is needed, while keeping the quartz layer diameter small for transmission capacity. The reinforcing members are strategically placed in the coating layer to provide localized protection to the quartz layer without increasing the overall fiber diameter.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design ensures a strong adhesive force between the coating layers and the quartz layer, increasing the tensile and compressive strength of the optical fiber, thereby enhancing its protection and transmission capacity.
Implementation Method 1
the adhesive agent is a silane coupling agent which includes a first functional group and a second functional group, where the first functional group is connected to the second functional group through a chemical bond, the first functional group is bonded to the quartz layer through the chemical bond, and the second functional group is bonded to the first coating layer through the chemical bond
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a reduced-diameter low-loss optical fiber and an optical cable. The reduced-diameter low-loss optical fiber includes a quartz layer, an adhesive layer, a first coating layer, and a second coating layer which are sequentially provided from inside to outside along a radial direction of the reduced-diameter low-loss optical fiber; where the adhesive layer is configured to increase an adhesive force between the first coating layer and the quartz layer; the first coating layer is configured to protect the quartz layer; and the second coating layer includes a second coating layer matrix and a plurality of reinforcing members, a base material of the second coating layer matrix is the same as that of the first coating layer, and the plurality of reinforcing members are distributed in the second coating layer matrix, so as to increase a strength of the reduced-diameter low-loss optical fiber.