Residual stress measurement in carbon coatings of optical fibers from the fiber bending curvature and coating thickness difference

The residual stress measurement in carbon coatings of optical fibers is theoretically and experimentally investigated. A simple formula used to measure the residual stresses in the thin film deposited on a cylindrical substrate with the bending curvature is proposed. During a temperature drop, the carbon-coated optical fiber is bent due to the nonuniform deposition of coating materials. The axial residual stresses in carbon coatings of optical fibers can be measured from the fiber bending curvature and coating thickness difference. Furthermore, if Young's modulus of carbon coatings is known, the thermal expansion coefficient of carbon coatings can be determined. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.