Hybrid cladding to enhance light intensity for plastic optical fiber

Abstract

Plastic optical fiber (POF) has been used extensively in short-distance data communications applications. POF consists of a plastic core and plastic cladding. Fluoropolymer, polysiloxane and PMMA are usually used as a cladding material. This work, poly (arylene sillyl etjer) s (PASE) are synthesized. Hydroxyl-terminated monomers, cross-linkable BHPFS and 4,4’-(hexafluoroiso-propylidene) diphenol (6F-BPA), were polymerized using diphenyldichlorosilane as a coupling agent. Poly(arylene silyl ether)s which have Mw=37,443 with Mn/Mw = 1.69 are achieved by using Et₃N and dimethylamino pyridine (DMAP) co-catalyst. The 10, 20 and 25wt% PASE/PMMA blend were use as claddings. PC core are coated with cladding materials and then both of them concurrently extruded through the co-extrusion die. The obtained fibers exhibit brittleness. The fibers diameters at free falling are in the range of 1.1-1.4 mm. Diameters of fibers at 1.179 draw ratio are in the range of 0.83-0.98 mm. The attenuation depends on cladding thickness and shape uniformity. The numerical aperture of all fibers is not difference that is about 0.8. The maximum operating temperature of fibers is higher than 100°C.