Laser Components has introduced a range of protective coatings and buffers for optical fibres, which it says extend the lifetimes of the components. Optical fibres can be supplied with different coatings and buffers as per the needs of each application, and depending on the temperature range in which the fibre will be used.
For temperatures up to 175°C, a high temperature acrylate coating is used, whereas for temperatures of -65 to +125°C a fluorine acrylate coating is offered. -60 to +200°C and -196 to +400°C temperature ranges are catered for by silicone and polyamide coatings respectively.
The second protective layer for the optical fibre is the buffer, which provides the fibre with additional mechanical stability and offers protection against environmental influences. Fluorinated polymers such as PFA, FEP, ETFE, and PVDF are used in buffer applications, as well as PEEK, which offers a high resistance to chemical agents, steam, moisture, and radioactive radiation.