The Corning LEAF® Optical Bare Fiber is a non-zero dispersion-shifted fiber (NZ-DSF) engineered for high-capacity, long-haul, and metropolitan network applications. This 25-kilometer spool minimizes signal distortion in dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) environments while delivering improved performance across emerging network technologies. Compliant with ITU-T Recommendation G.655, the fiber combines low attenuation, controlled chromatic dispersion, and excellent polarization mode dispersion characteristics to support demanding optical transport systems.
Technical Specifications
Optical Performance
• Mode-Field Diameter (MFD): 9.6 ± 0.4 µm at 1550 nm
• Effective Area (Aeff): 72 µm² at 1550 nm
• Numerical Aperture (NA): 0.14 at 1550 nm
• Maximum Attenuation: 0.19 dB/km at 1550 nm; 0.21 dB/km at 1625 nm
• Chromatic Dispersion: 2.0 to 6.0 ps/(nm•km) at 1530–1565 nm; 4.5 to 11.2 ps/(nm•km) at 1565–1625 nm
• Polarization Mode Dispersion: ≤ 0.04 ps/√km (link design value); ≤ 0.1 ps/√km (maximum individual fiber)
• Rayleigh Backscattering: -81 dB at 1550 nm; -82 dB at 1625 nm
• Cable Cutoff Wavelength (λcc): ≤ 1360 nm
Physical Properties
• Cladding Diameter: 125.0 ± 0.7 µm
• Cladding Non-Circularity: ≤ 1.0%
• Core/Clad Concentricity: ≤ 0.5 µm
• Coating Diameter: 245 ± 5 µm
• Coating Type: CPC6 (dual acrylate)
• Proof Test: ≥ 100 kpsi (0.7 GPa) minimum tensile stress applied across entire length
– Key Features
• Single-mode propagation with tight mode-field diameter tolerance
• Flattened dispersion profile across C and L bands minimizes chromatic dispersion management complexity
• Low PMD supports 40 Gb/s and higher data rates over extended distances
• Superior attenuation uniformity: 0.02 dB/km variation across 1525–1575 nm
• Robust mechanical reliability through high proof-test stress
– Typical Applications
• Long-haul DWDM transmission systems
• Metropolitan area network (MAN) deployments
• High-capacity backbone infrastructure
• Coherent optical systems operating in C and L bands
