Optical fiber ribbon matrix material having optimal handling characteristics

Abstract

An optical fiber ribbon including a matrix material and one or more optical fibers disposed therein. The properties of the matrix material have been developed so that the optical fiber ribbon has optimal handling characteristics such as superior heat strip, encapsulation, easy peel and breakout, good fiber geometry and robustness. The optical fiber ribbon achieves optimal handling characteristics by including in the matrix material a polymer having a glass transition temperature of greater than 100° C., an elongation to break of greater than 15% and a rheological behavior wherein the onset of non-Newtonian behavior occurs at a shear rate of greater than 103 rad/sec.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.