One Step Pre-forms for Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibre

Funding: 2003: $89,286
2004: $100,000
2005: $100,000

Project Member(s): Smith, G.

Funding or Partner Organisation: Australian Research Council (ARC Linkage Projects)
PolyOptics Australia Pty Ltd (Poly Optics Australia Pty Ltd)
Microptics Pty Ltd
Redfern Polymer Optics (Cactus Fiber (Division of Redfen Polymer Optics pty Ltd))

Start year: 2004

Summary: The pre-form rods this project yields will enable polymer optical fibre technology, just as suitable glass pre-forms enabled today s optical fibre. One-step casting techniques will yield PMMA rods with arrays of internal channels which can be empty, or filled with different clear polymer. Polymer microstructured optical fibre (PMOF) suitable for high bandwidth communications is then produced by drawing. It is urgently needed for local communication networks in cars and buildings. Solid PMOF channels are new to this project, and should make PMOF easier to deploy. Nanoscale mapping of light transport modes and polymer defects will help validate channel designs.

Keywords: polymer fibre optics microstructured optical fibres polymer pre-forms graded index fibre single mode fibre near field scanning optics

FOR Codes: Network transmission equipment, Plastic products (incl. construction materials), Polymeric materials (e.g. paints), Classical and Physical Optics, Photonics, Optoelectronics and Optical Communications, Polymers and Plastics, Network Infrastructure Equipment, Photonics, optoelectronics and optical communications, Classical and physical optics , Polymeric materials and paints, Plastics

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.