Uploaded April 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago

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In this webinar, Dave will walk us through the steps needed to fabricate optical fiber, from the type of glass used (and the properties it needs to have) to the preform preparation and draw processes. This overview will include an in depth look at one of Thorlabs' fiber draw towers and show how a glass preform is fed through it, from being heated to 2000 °C to measuring the outer diameter of the drawn fiber.

To view our full line of optical fiber and fiber patch cables, please visit thorlabs.com/navigation.cfm?guide_id=26&ytid=cx7yTxZDP1Y.

For more webinars, visit thorlabs.com/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=13891&ytid=cx7yTxZDP1Y.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:25 Section 1: Optical Fiber Design
4:11 Section 2: Materials for Optical Fiber
11:24 Section 3: Optical Fiber Glass Manufacturing
18:57 Section 4: Optical Fiber Drawing
35:09 Section 5: Optical Fiber Characterization
38:43 How to measure the optical performance
45:35 Section 6: Optical Fiber Manufacturing at Thorlabs
48:49 Questions