The Corning LEAF® Optical Bare Fiber is a Non-Zero Dispersion-Shifted Fiber (NZDSF) supplied in 10,000-meter (10 km) spools, engineered for high-capacity DWDM, submarine, and terrestrial optical networks. Its large effective area of typically 72 µm² at 1550 nm and moderate dispersion characteristics minimize nonlinear effects—four-wave mixing, self-phase modulation, and cross-phase modulation—improving spectral efficiency and optical reach. This translates to reduced amplifier and regenerator requirements, lowering both capital and operational costs.
Technical Specifications
• Fiber Type: Non-Zero Dispersion-Shifted Fiber (NZDSF)
• Core/Cladding/Coating: 9 µm / 125 µm / 245 µm (CPC® dual acrylate)
• Standards Compliance: ITU-T G.655.D, IEC 60793-2-50 Type B4, Telcordia GR-20
• Length: 10,000 meters (10 km)
• Color Options: Natural or colored variants with ColorPro® identification
– Optical Characteristics
• Attenuation at 1550 nm: ≤ 0.19 dB/km (typical C-band)
• Attenuation at 1625 nm: ≤ 0.21 dB/km
• Chromatic Dispersion (C-band, 1530–1565 nm): 2.0 to 6.0 ps/(nm•km)
• Chromatic Dispersion (L-band, 1565–1625 nm): 4.5 to 11.2 ps/(nm•km)
• Mode-Field Diameter at 1550 nm: 9.6 ± 0.4 µm
• Effective Area at 1550 nm: Typically 72 µm²
• Numerical Aperture: 0.14 NA (one percent power level)
• PMD Performance: specifications; supports 10 Gb/s, 40 Gb/s, and 100 Gb/s systems
– Key Features
• Large effective area reduces nonlinear impairments in high-power transmission systems
• Low chromatic dispersion enables extended optical reach without regeneration
• Superior PMD characteristics allow evolution to higher bit rates
• CPC coating system provides mechanical robustness and environmental protection
• ColorPro® identification simplifies field identification and network management
– Compatibility & Integration
LEAF fiber is engineered for direct compatibility with standard single-mode infrastructure, including Corning® SMF-28® fiber, supporting seamless integration into existing networks and future upgrades.
