Low Cost Fiber Optic Cable Assemblies for Local Distribution Systems.

This report describes the evaluation and optimization of low cost fiber optic cable using plastic clad silica fibers. As part of the program, silica core with RTV silicone cladding and a protective plastic jacket fibers were used to produce the cables ECOM-1 and ECOM-2. The second phase of the contract consisted of developing an optimized optical fiber cable which would meet more stringent requirements and overcome the deficiencies found in Cables ECOM-1 and ECOM-3 during the evaluation under extreme conditions. The optimized fiber optic cable was of the external strength member design, using 1 mm optical fibers. It met the requirements for optical average attenuation at .82 micron was less than 10.5 dbkm, mechanical and environmental performance.