While specialty optical fibers and fiber optic-based probes or sensors are ideally suited for a wide range of medical applications, such as invasive surgical procedures, these fibers must be sterilized to ensure that they are free of microorganisms before being used inside a human body.
Although a variety of physical and chemical sterilization treatments are used in the medical device industry, exposing optical fibers to harsh conditions can significantly affect their properties, including optical attenuation and mechanical strength.
Finding only a few studies related to this subject, a group of intrepid OFS researchers investigated. To read their white paper and learn about their findings, please go here. And to access a recent article and/or webcast on this subject by Dr. Andrei Stolov, a member of the research team, please go to article or webcast.