Effect of Salts on the Static Fatigue of Silica Optical Fibers

The effect of various ions on the static fatigue properties of silica optical fibers is investigated. The static fatigue parameters are measured in 90C aqueous environments for various salts and deionized water. Bare silica fibers are studied to enhance the interaction between the salts and the silica surface. Our results show that millimolar concentrations of salts affect the static fatigue parameters. For example, NaCl decreases the stress corrosion parameter (n) relative to deionized water. The implications of chemical reactivity are discussed with respect to long term mechanical reliability.