500°C-Rated Optical Fiber for High Temperature Applications

Silica-based glass optical fibers without coating can withstand temperatures greater than 600°C. However, glass fibers need to be protected from the environment. Standard telecom fibers are typically coated with acrylate that allow their use in temperatures up to 85°C. Specialty optical fibers can be produced with a polyimide coating, which allows these fibers to be used in environments up to 300°C. This type of fiber has been used extensively in the oil and gas industry to provide important communications and sensing functions for reservoir management.