Fiber Optics

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Zeus manufactures polymer reinforced optical fiber and high temperature sheathing to support the latest fiber optic technology. We offer a wide range of fiber coating diameters and sheathing types to meet your application needs. Our scientists and engineers will help you find the right polymer solutions to protect optical fibers so that they perform in the most extreme environments.

More industries rely on optical fiber for communication and sensing than ever before. Zeus has developed an array of polymer reinforced optical fibers, extruded sheathing, multi-lumens, and profiles to address these changing market needs. Our polymer solutions protect optical fibers in applications that require mechanical strength as well as resistance to harsh chemical, abrasion, and high temperatures. We will work with you to develop a solution that ensures your fiber maintains integrity even in the harshest of environments.

Zeus works with OEMs, sensor manufacturers, and cable manufacturers to develop solutions to protect and deploy optical fibers using polymer solutions such as PEEK, PTFE, PFA, ETFE, PVDF, FEP, and more.

Polymer Comparison

To support engineers as they investigate best–match protection for their application, Zeus provides the table below outlining the different benefits of various polymers deployed in fiber optic coatings and sheathings.

Polymer Key Benefits Common Applications Industry
ETFE
  • Service temperature: 302 °F (150 °C)
  • Temperature stability
  • Good radiation resistance
  • Mechanical integrity
  • Low coefficient of friction
  • Low water absorption
  • Improved strength
  • Sterilizable by multiple methods

Avionics

Housing for light guides

Protection for medical probes

Aerospace

Medical

Telecom

FEP
  • Service temperature: 392 °F (200 °C)
  • Temperature stability
  • Chemical resistance
  • Low water absorption
  • Low coefficient of friction
  • Good tensile strength

High transmittance housing for fiber optic lighting

Low-friction lead-in tubes.

Aerospace

Automotive

Energy

Telecom

PEEK
  • Service temperature: 500 °F (260 °C)
  • Radiation resistance
  • Thermal stability
  • Chemical resistance
  • Abrasion resistance
  • Mechanical integrity
  • Tensile strength
  • Enhanced pushability
  • Sterilizable by multiple methods

Strain and temperature sensing in harsh environments

Embedded sensors for structural and composite monitoring

Aerospace

Automotive

Energy

Medical

PFA
  • Service temperature: 500 °F (260 °C)
  • Temperature stability
  • Chemical resistance
  • Low coefficient of friction
  • Tensile strength
  • Low smoke, toxicity

Protective housing for aerospace data cables

Pipeline Monitoring

Aerospace

Energy

PTFE
  • Working temperature: 500 °F (260 °C)
  • Low coefficient of friction
  • Low water absorption
  • Chemical resistance

Low friction liner for fan-out kits and cables

Cryogenic cables

Temperature sensor delivery

Aerospace

Automotive

Medical

Telecom

PVDF
  • Working temperature: 302 °F (150 °C)
  • Temperature stability
  • Chemical resistance
  • Radiation resistance
  • Mechanical integrity
  • Low coefficient of friction
  • Low water absorption
  • Tensile strength

Cables requiring low flame spread, limited smoke generation

Housing for high radiation environments

Aerospace

Medical

Energy

Telecom

  • APPLICATIONS

    Strain Sensing – Fiber optics are key components used in structural health monitoring, composite manufacturing, detection of dynamic and static loads, and much more. Zeus coatings, sheathings, and other products enable high quality fiber optic sensing in the most difficult working conditions.

    Temperature Sensing – Fiber optic temperature sensing requires coatings and sheathings that are minimally affected by temperature. With the right polymer protection, sensors can work at peak efficiency from cryogenic temperatures up to 260 °C (500 °F).

    Communications – Offering high bandwidth and without interference from electromagnetic sources, fiber optics are often preferred over copper or other electrical systems for long distance data transfer. Zeus provides high performance polymer extrusions and coatings that support the latest fiber optic communication networks.

  • PRODUCTS

    Aeos™ ePTFE Tubing – This expanded PTFE product is our most flexible tubing. This innovative creation provides protection from aggressive chemicals, reduces microbend-induced attenuations, and is particularly suited for applications requiring porosity and breathability.

    Convoluted – Where flexibility is important, this tubing contains multiple convolutes in series resulting in a highly flexible and maneuverable tubing material. Commonly called flexible conduit, this tubing provides a low friction protective covering against abrasion.

    Custom Fillers – Providing greater specialization for your application, fillers allow the properties of base polymer tubing to be further tailored. Common options available include bismuth and barium for added visibility under fluoroscopy and x-ray, carbon fiber to improve crush resistance and electrical dissipation, and glass to enhance bonding and reduce longitudinal change.

    Custom Profiles – Providing square, rectangular, and custom shapes, we offer a range of extrusion options for specialized applications. We strive to produce these tight-tolerance custom profiles to the highest standards.

    Engineered Surface Tubing – For strain-free movement, engineered surface tubing provides unique profiles and micro-structured surface channels which decrease friction allowing easier fiber optic insertion and reduced strain during deployment handling.

    Heat Shrinks And Dual-Shrink™ – We can help you select the ideal heat shrinkable material to encapsulate and protect your fiber optic housings, cables, and connectors from elevated temperatures and moisture. Our heat shrinks are available in shrink ratios up to 4:1 with temperature tolerances reaching 500 °F (260 °C).

    Multi-Lumen – Zeus has the ability to extrude round tubes with separate channels, or “passages,” that run the length of the tubing so that multiple optical fibers can be separately housed within a single outside diameter.

    Reinforced Optical Fibers  – Our polymer reinforced optical fibers have an additional polymer layer to protect your optical fiber from environmental extremes including temperature (high and low), pressure, radiation, and moisture absorption. They also provide chemical resistance and impart added structural support.

    Spiral Cut – This expandable tubing secures your fiber optics in bundles and provides added abrasion and temperature resistance. This specialty tubing also allows sensors to come in contact with oils or other liquids while remaining protected from physical trauma.

    Tubing and Sheathing – Also called furcation tubing, these products are commonly used in fiber optics to house, deliver, and protect fibers.  The high lubricity of these polymer tubings and sleeves easily slides over optical fibers without damaging them and decreases strain and friction. These options are available in standard and custom sizes and tolerances.

  • MATERIALS

    ETFE – This copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene affords excellent resistance to impact, abrasion, and stress cracking. ETFE possesses superior toughness, stiffness, and durability all while being chemically inert. The material can be extruded in multiple forms including flexible convoluted tubing that meets Mil Spec 81914 certification. ETFE can operate in temperatures up to 302 °F (150 °C); it has low water absorption and performs well with ETO, autoclave, and gamma sterilizations.

    FEP – This melt processable fluoropolymer allows for long, continuous lengths and has several distinct advantages over PTFE. FEP is the preferred choice for applications requiring more optical clarity and flexibility. This fluoropolymer can be made into heat shrink and convoluted products that meet 23053/11 and 81914 Mil Spec certifications, respectively. This chemically inert material has low gas permeability, possesses an excellent UV transmission rating and dielectric strength; and is gamma, ETO, e-beam, and autoclave sterilizable. FEP can operate in temperatures up to 392 °F (200°C).

    PEEK – This high-performance engineered polymer has excellent endurance to heat with one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios of any thermoplastic. This material can be used as an alternative to materials such as metal conduit and glass. PEEK tubing is lightweight and able to withstand operating temperatures up to 500 ºF (260 ºC). PEEK is biocompatible, thermoformable, and tolerates high burst pressures. PEEK is also resistant to gamma radiation, wear, and impact; and possesses exceptional torsion stability

    PFA – This fluoropolymer is known for its ability to maintain its mechanical integrity in extreme temperatures even when exposed to caustic chemicals. PFA can withstand temperature environments up to 500 ºF (260 ºC) and can also be extruded in convoluted tubing forms that provide a highly flexible conduit. PFA exhibits excellent lubricity, clarity, and flexibility. [PFA is also available in high purity (HP PFA) versions that are SEMI F-57 certified].

    PTFE – This material offers the lowest coefficient of friction of any fluoropolymer. PTFE has become the gold standard for tubing applications requiring the ultimate in lubricity, high and low temperature utilization, chemical resistance, biocompatibility (Class VI approved), and precision extruded tolerances. This diverse polymer is manufactured into heat shrinks and convoluted tubing that are 23053/12 and 81914 Mil Spec certified, respectively. Zeus provides PTFE in many forms including extruded tubing, Sub-Lite-Wall® tubing, heat shrink, special profiles, monofilament, and multi-lumen tubing.

    PVDF – This polymer delivers high performance at a competitive cost. Also known as Kynar®, PVDF is characterized by low permeability as well as strong abrasion and chemical resistance. This tubing possesses a host of properties that make it useful in a variety of applications that need flexibility without sacrificing performance. PVDF tubing has a service temperature of to 302 °F (150 °C), is resistant to nuclear radiation, has low smoke and flame properties, is resistant to bacterial and fungal growth, and has excellent dielectric properties.

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