Radiation resistant fiber optical assembly

An assembly for minimizing radiation levels experienced by an optical fiber comprising:

• a sealed enclosure;
• a length of optical fiber disposed in the enclosure and having first and second ends;
• at least one port on the enclosure that enables the coupling of input and output optical signals to the respective first and second ends of the length of optical fiber;
• a plurality of small particles substantially filling the interior of the enclosure where the particles have embedded therein a gas which, when released, reduces the effects of radiation upon the optical fiber;
• a heating element disposed proximate to the small particles;
• a heat controller coupled to the heating element that controls whether heat generated by the heating element is coupled to the small particles;
• at least a portion of the gas embedded in the small particles being released to fill the inside the enclosure and provide a gaseous interior environment totally surrounding the length of the optical fiber when the small particles are subjected to the heat from the heating element to provide a gaseous interior environment in the enclosure that reduces the effects of radiation from all directions upon the optical fiber due to radiation for a source external to the enclosure.