METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING CHARACTERISTICS OF ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE COATINGS ON OPTICAL FIBERS

摘要

Method and apparatus for monitoring the thickness and/or uniformity of electrically conductive coatings (12) that have been deposited upon optical waveguide fibers (10). The monitoring may be performed while coated fiber (22) is at rest or while it is in motion. No physical contact with the fiber or coatings is required. Monitoring is accomplished by feeding coated fibers (22) through an inductive coil (24) while simultaneously measuring an electrical value that is dependent upon the electrical resistance of conductive coating (10) then passing through inductive coil (24). The electrical value measured for a given section of coated fiber (22) is then correlated with the coating thickness of that section by comparing the value measured with previously measured electrical values generated by coatings of known thicknesses and/or uniformities.