Strength and Reliability of Silica Optical Fibers in Automotive Communication Networks

Demand for new safety, sensor, control, information and entertainment technologies in automobiles is stretching the data rate limits of communication networks using conventional wiring and plastic-based fibers. Thus far, the switch to high-bandwidth glass optical fibers has been hindered by concerns about the fiber's reliability. In this study, we present zero-stress aging data for glass optical fibers with different protective coatings exposed to environmental conditions relevant to the automotive industry. Keywords: optical fiber, automotive, aging, strength, reliability, environmental effects, coatings

As plastic optical fiber (POF) gains widespread use in automotive data bus systems, it faces restrictions that may limit its long-term implementation. For example, current plastic fibers in use for data links are formulated from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) which limits the upper operation temperature of the fiber to 85°C; this essentially confines POF to applications within the passenger area of the automobile. In addition to a constrained temperature range, POF also has a high attenuation level (?150 dB/km) that restricts both the fiber length and minimum bending radius (typically, >25mm).