Comprehensive Experimentation, Simulation and Optimization of Optical Fiber Coating at High Draw Speeds

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The research is focused on high speed coating of optical fibers, a step in the draw process that is critical to the quality and low cost fabrication of optical fibers for telecommunications and other applications. It involves four main aspects (a) modeling and simulation of the transport processes within coating applicator/die systems, (b) experimentation with a laboratory off-line system developed previously, allowing measurements with different operating conditions, (c) experimentation on a full-scale draw tower, and (d) measurement of specific properties (thickness, concentricity, integrity, presence of bubbles, etc) of coatings produced under controlled conditions. The models will be validated by experiments on the two facilities, particularly at large speeds. The dependence of coating characteristics on the operating conditions will be established. This approach will therefore provide a quantitative, systematic, and validated means to predict and control fiber-coating characteristics.