AVS 49th International Symposium
    Thin Films Tuesday Sessions
       Session TF-TuM

Paper TF-TuM4
Copper Gallium Thin Film as the Stress-release Coating for Optical Fiber Metallization

Tuesday, November 5, 2002, 9:20 am, Room C-101

Session: Mechanical Properties of Thin Films
Presenter: M.X. Ouyang, Corning Inc.
Authors: M.X. Ouyang, Corning Inc.
L.D. Kinney, Corning Inc.
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It is well known that the strength of optical fiber can be degraded dramatically during fiber stripping and UV irradiation.@footnote 1@ The existence of defects which has been created both on the surface and inside optical fibers during the fiber fabrication process is the reason for their mechanical degradation.@footnote 2@ Flaws on the surface of glass fibers have a significant effect on the fiber strength. However, little is reported on optical fiber mechanical strength change due to fiber surface treatment and metallization. The report discusses mechanical properties of metallized optical fibers (strength, adhesion, stress, solderability) and the impact on optical properties such as PMD spectra. The fiber strength of polymer removed optical fibers with different surface and coatings is studied. Using a thin Cu:Ga film (80 nm)@footnote 3@ to replace Cr or Cr2O3 film as the adhesion enhancement layer between Pt film (1 µm) and single mode fiber (SMF), the average fiber pulling strength increased 5-6 times. Polarization mode dispersion (PMD) spectra shows that only 0.1 nm blue shift is observed comparing with 0.3-0.4 nm shifting using Cr or Cr2O3 as under layer or only Pt film without underlayer. Cu:Ga film has excellent wetting properties to Pb:Sn (1:1) solder. Cu:Ga films on glass and Si substrates are solderable. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@Varelas, D., et al: "UV-induced mechanical degradation of optical fibers", Electron. Lett., 1997, 33, (9).pp.804-806 @footnote 2@R. Olshansky and D.R. Maurer: "Tensile strength and fatigue of optical fibers": J. Appl. Phys, 1976, 47, (10), pp4497-4499 @footnote 3@Mike X. Ouyang, et al: US patent : US6347175 B1