Method and apparatus for fabrication of metal-coated optical fiber, and the resulting optical fiber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017285261-A1
Application number	US-201515510297-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 17, 2015
Priority date	Sep 17, 2014
Publication date	Oct 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Method and apparatus for producing metal-coated optical fiber involves feeding a length of glass fiber through a first solution bath so as to plate a first predetermined metal on the glass fiber via electroless deposition. The length of glass fiber is passed continuously from the first solution bath to a second solution bath adapted to plate thereon a second predetermined metal via electrolytic plating such that the optical fiber contacts an electrode only after at least some of the second predetermined metal has been applied. The length of glass fiber may be passed continuously from the second solution bath to a third solution bath adapted to plate thereon a third predetermined metal via electrolytic plating.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for producing metal-coated optical fiber, said method comprising:
(a) feeding a length of glass fiber through a first solution bath so as to plate a first predetermined metal on the glass fiber via electroless deposition; and (b) passing said length of glass fiber continuously from said first solution bath to a second solution bath adapted to plate thereon a second predetermined metal via electrolytic plating such that said optical fiber contacts an electrode only after at least some of said second predetermined metal has been applied.

2 . A method as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
(c) passing said length of glass fiber continuously from said second solution bath to a third solution bath adapted to plate thereon a third predetermined metal via electrolytic plating.

3 . A method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said second predetermined metal is copper and said third predetermined metal is nickel.

4 . A method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said first predetermined metal is copper.

5 . A method as set forth in claim 4 , wherein a combined thickness of said first predetermined metal and said second predetermined metal is at least about 5 microns.

6 . A method as set forth in claim 5 , wherein a thickness of said first predetermined metal is no greater than about 0.5 microns.

7 . A method as set forth in claim 4 , wherein a thickness of said third predetermined metal is at least about 0.5 microns.

8 . A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said glass fiber has a carbon layer.

9 . A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said electrode comprises a first electrode integrated into a first pulley wheel.

10 . A method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein an additional thickness of said second predetermined metal is plated on said length of glass fiber after contacting said first pulley wheel.

11 . A method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein said length of glass fiber further contacts a second electrode integrated into a second pulley wheel after said additional thickness of said predetermined metal has been plated thereon.

12 . A method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein said length of glass fiber bends around said first pulley wheel and reenters said second solution bath.

13 . A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said length of glass fiber is initially coated with a polymer coating that is removed prior to said first solution bath.

14 . A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said polymer coating is water soluble.

15 . A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first and second solution baths each comprise a vessel having an inlet hole and an outlet hole through which the length of glass fiber passes into and out of said vessel, an associated solution flowing out of said inlet and outlet holes.

16 . An optical fiber comprising:
a glass fiber including a core and a cladding; a multi-layer metal coating comprising a first layer of copper, a second layer of copper, and a third layer of nickel, said first layer being applied through an electroless process and said second layer and said third layer being applied through respective electrolytic processes.

17 . An optical fiber as set forth in claim 16 , wherein a combined thickness of said first layer of copper and said second layer of copper is at least about 5 microns.

18 . An optical fiber as set forth in claim 17 , wherein a thickness of said first layer of copper is no greater than about 0.5 microns.

19 . An optical fiber as set forth in claim 17 , wherein a thickness of said third layer of nickel is at least about 0.5 microns.

20 . An optical fiber as set forth in claim 16 , wherein said glass fiber has a carbon layer outside of said cladding.

21 . An optical fiber as set forth in claim 16 , wherein said optical fiber has a length greater than one meter.

22 . An optical fiber as set forth in claim 21 , wherein said optical fiber is between one and ten kilometers in length.

23 . An optical fiber comprising:
a glass fiber including a core and a cladding; a multi-layer metal coating comprising a first layer of first metal, a second layer of said first metal, and a third layer of a second metal, said first layer being applied through an electroless process and said second layer and said third layer being applied through respective electrolytic processes, such that a combined thickness of said first layer and said second layer is at least about 5 microns and a thickness of said third layer is at least about 0.5 microns.

24 . An optical fiber as set forth in claim 23 , wherein a thickness of said first layer is no greater than about 0.5 microns.

25 . An optical fiber as set forth in claim 23 , wherein said glass fiber has a carbon layer outside of said cladding.

26 . An optical fiber as set forth in claim 23 , wherein said optical fiber has a length greater than one meter.

27 . An optical fiber as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said optical fiber is between one and ten kilometers in length.

Assignees

• Afl Telecommunications Llc
• Fujikura Ltd

Inventors

• Miyamoto Matsuhiro
• D'Urso John J
• Fujimoto Takuya
• Ichikawa Masateru

Classifications

• C23C18/1653 Primary

  Two or more layers with at least one layer obtained by electroless plating and one layer obtained by electroplating · CPC title

• C03B37/023

  Fibres composed of different sorts of glass, {e.g. glass optical fibres, made by the double crucible technique} · CPC title

• C25D3/38

  of copper · CPC title

• C23C18/1632

  Features specific for the apparatus, e.g. layout of cells and of its equipment, multiple cells · CPC title

• C23C18/1893

  with use of organic or inorganic compounds other than metals, first · CPC title