RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ON ULTRA-LIGHTWEIGHT LOW-LOSS OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION CABLE

摘要

This interim report describes the initial phases of the investi-gation to provide ultra-lightweight, low-loss optical fiber communication cables for tactical field army environments. Initial efforts to use low- loss optical waveguides in a cable structure resulted in unacceptable increased in fiber attenuation. These increased losses were attributed to micro-distortions in the low- loss fibers introduced by coatings and/or the cable structure. the program was redirected to seek a solution to this problem which would allow the use of state- of-the-art optical fibers in cable structures. Organic coatings applied by extrusion techniques to the optical fibers are a solution and have permitted cable unit structures without any significant increase in the atten-uation of the individual fibers. An approved cable unit will ultimately be incorporated in a structure designed to provide a rugged cable. (Author-PL)