Cables & Cable Assemblies

ePTFE and Fiber Optics

When compared to alternative fiber optic products, GORE™ Mil-Aero Fiber Optic Products offer improvements in operating temperature range, vibration, mechanical shock, tension, minimum bend radius, chemical resistance, and overall ruggedness without compromising size or flexibility.


Microbending Loss

Thermal Expansion Mismatch causes microbending loss in fiber optic cable
  • Microbends are typically nanometer displacements of the fiber axis correlated over millimeter lengths.
  • Loss is due to the coupling of light from high order modes to “lossy” modes.

Thermal Expansion Mismatch Causes Microbending Loss in Cable

In cold temperatures, cable shrinkage can cause optical microbends at the fiber surface

Microbending Loss can be very significant, as seen below:

Chart comparing insertion loss performance over temperature in a single mode fanout assembly for Gore design and Brand X design
  • The Gore design maintains good optical performance throughout the temperature range.
  • The "Brand X" design demonstrates significant insertion loss.
All Gore designs incorporate a layer of ePTFE directly over the coated fiber. The ePTFE buffer decouples mismatched materials, maintaining optical performance.
  • ePTFE buffer is an open cell structure, 75% air and 25% PTFE.
  • This layer significantly mitigates the CTE effects of all of the materials in the cable.