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Abstract

A tight buffered optical waveguide fiber having improved strippability is provided. The fiber includes a core, a cladding, a first protective coating in contact with the cladding, an interfacial layer in contact with the first protective coating, and a buffer layer in contact with the interfacial layer. The interfacial layer comprises a solid lubricant such as sub-micron particles of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in a film-forming binder. The concentration of particles at the external surface of the interfacial layer is preferably greater than the concentration at the internal surface so that the interfacial layer is more adherent to the first protective coating than to the buffer layer. This differential adhesion facilitates the manufacturing process while still allowing long lengths (e.g., a foot or more) of either the buffer layer or both the buffer layer and the first protective coating to be removed from the cladding without damage to the fiber's physical and optical properties. A countercurrent technique for applying the interfacial layer to the fiber as a water dispersion is also disclosed.

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First Claim