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Analysis of coating thickness variation during optical fiber Processing

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Abstract:

During the mass production of silica-based optical fibers, a large fiber preform is softened in a high-temperature furnace and is drawn to a small fiber with a diameter o...Show More

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Abstract:

During the mass production of silica-based optical fibers, a large fiber preform is softened in a high-temperature furnace and is drawn to a small fiber with a diameter of about 125 /spl mu/m. The hot fiber exiting the furnace is cooled rapidly by the surrounding air or by blowing a gas, and is subsequently coated with a polymer layer to provide a protection of the fiber surface. The overall quality of the fiber depends on the uniformity of the coating layer, which is strongly influenced by the manufacturing conditions. While the average thickness of the coating layer is extensively investigated in the literature, the studies on the coating thickness fluctuation lack a sound fundamental basis. In this paper, a linear perturbation analysis is adopted to predict the coating thickness variation under different processing conditions. An experimental correlation is developed to determine the initial amplitude of the thickness disturbance. Numerical results are presented for the first time to directly link the processing and geometric parameters with the coating thickness fluctuation in the final product. The results provide guidelines for selecting coating materials, system designs, and processing parameters to achieve uniform fiber coating layers.

Published in: Journal of Lightwave Technology ( Volume: 23, Issue: 3, March 2005)

Page(s): 1261 - 1272

Date of Publication: 31 March 2005

ISSN Information:

DOI: 10.1109/JLT.2005.843519

Qibo Jiang

Advanced Materials amd Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

Qibo Jiang received the M.S. degree in mechanical engineering from University of Connecticut, Storrs, in 2004. He is currently working toward the Ph.D. Degree at the University of Akron, OH.

His current research involves numerical and experimental investigation of injection molding process for the manufacturing of polymer composites

Qibo Jiang received the M.S. degree in mechanical engineering from University of Connecticut, Storrs, in 2004. He is currently working toward the Ph.D. Degree at the University of Akron, OH.

His current research involves numerical and experimental investigation of injection molding process for the manufacturing of polymer compositesView more

Fuzheng Yang

Advanced Materials amd Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

Fuzheng Yang received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, in 1994 and 1997, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, in 2002.

He is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Advanced Materials and Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut. His recent and cur...Show More

He is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Advanced Materials and Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut. His recent and cur...View more

R. Pitchumani

Advanced Materials amd Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

Ranga Pitchumani received the Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, in 1992

Contents

Nomenclature

Dimensionless fiber radius defined in (10).

Initial amplitude.

Final amplitude.

Coefficients in (13).

in (10).

Amplitude growth rate.

Dimensional amplitude growth rate .

Gravitational acceleration .

Local coating thickness [m].

Average coating thickness [m].

Length of the coating die [m].

Pressure at the applicator inlet [Pa].

Atmosphere pressure [Pa].

Fiber radius [m].

Inner radius of the applicator die [m].

in (10).

Maximum Reynolds number for an acceptable final amplitude.

Radial coordinate [m].

Time [s].

Drawing velocity [m/s].

Maximum velocity for the fully developed flow [m/s].

Axial coordinate for an inertial reference frame with velocity [m].

Dimensionless axial coordinate for a reference frame at rest.

Greek symbols

wavenumber defined in (10).

Critical wavenumber.

Dimensionless coating thickness variation.

Surface wave length [m].

Dynamic viscosity .

Stream function .

Density .

Surface tension [N/m].

Qibo Jiang

Advanced Materials amd Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

Qibo Jiang received the M.S. degree in mechanical engineering from University of Connecticut, Storrs, in 2004. He is currently working toward the Ph.D. Degree at the University of Akron, OH.

His current research involves numerical and experimental investigation of injection molding process for the manufacturing of polymer composites

Qibo Jiang received the M.S. degree in mechanical engineering from University of Connecticut, Storrs, in 2004. He is currently working toward the Ph.D. Degree at the University of Akron, OH.

His current research involves numerical and experimental investigation of injection molding process for the manufacturing of polymer compositesView more

Fuzheng Yang

Advanced Materials amd Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

He is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Advanced Materials and Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut. His recent and current research activities are in the studies of advanced composite materials fabrication, fuel cells, MEMS, and optical fiber processing.

R. Pitchumani

Advanced Materials amd Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

Ranga Pitchumani received the Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, in 1992

Heis the Distinguished Professor and Department Head of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. He was with the Center for Composite Materials, University of Delaware, prior to joining the University of Connecticut in 1995. His research interests are in the areas of advanced materials processing, micro and nanoscale phenomena, microdevices and microfabrication, and fuel cells. His research has been funded by NSF, ONR, AFOSR, ARO, NASA, Sandia National Laboratories, and Industries. He is the author of over 120 articles, seven edited book volumes, and five book chapters. He is an Associate Technical Editor for the ASME Journal of Heat Transfer, serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials, and has been a guest editor for Polymer Composites.

Dr. Pitchumani has received many awards including the Young Investigator Award from the Office of Naval Research and the Olin Faculty Award from OLIN Corporation. He is a Fellow of the ASME.

Ranga Pitchumani received the Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, in 1992

Dr. Pitchumani has received many awards including the Young Investigator Award from the Office of Naval Research and the Olin Faculty Award from OLIN Corporation. He is a Fellow of the ASME.View more

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Analysis of coating thickness variation during optical fiber Processing

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Analysis of coating thickness variation during optical fiber Processing

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