Observation and analysis of residual stress development resulting from OH impurity in optical fibers

Abstract

We report experimental results on the development of residual stress due to OH impurity in optical fibers. The effect of OH impurity on residual stress is demonstrated by direct residual stress measurement. The residual stress at the outer-cladding/jacketing-tube boundary of the fiber drawn at 3.48 N was found to be -61 MPa. The residual compressive stress is attributed to the viscosity decrease induced by a significant OH impurity at the boundary, as measured by a Fourier transform infrared microscope. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.