\-\-\-\--Original Message\-\-\-\--

From: Craig Mueller \<Craig.T.Mueller@aero.org\>

To: DZevotek \<DZevotek@BICCGeneral.com\>

Cc: klw \<\"/dd.NOTES=klw@lucent.com@intenet/\"@notes.aero.org\>;
DRothermel

\<\"/dd.NOTES=DRothermel@BICCGeneral.com@intenet/\"@notes.aero.org\>;

Harold.Battaglia \<Harold.Battaglia@SW.Boeing.com\>; david.w.beverly1

\<david.w.beverly1@jsc.nasa.gov\>; Gary.Bickel
\<Gary.Bickel@West.Boeing.com\>;

John.S.Canham.1 \<John.S.Canham.1@GSFC.NASA.GOV\>; Anna

\<Anna@seawire.traveller.com\>; djd \<djd@lucent.com\>; Alan.D.English-1

\<Alan.D.English-1@usa.dupont.com\>; david.j.gill
\<david.j.gill@boeing.com\>;

hleideck \<hleideck@pop500.gsfc.nasa.gov\>; carol.a.mcdonald

\<carol.a.mcdonald@boeing.com\>; Mitchell \<Mitchell@BICCGeneral.com\>;

peter.h.mueggler \<peter.h.mueggler@boeing.com\>; jplante

\<jplante@swales.com\>; ray.prestridge \<ray.prestridge@lmco.com\>;
mfseifert

\<mfseifert@lucent.com\>

Date: Tuesday, March 14, 2000 12:37 PM

Subject: Re: ESD

\>Dale,

\>Yes, I did get a chance to present our experiments and analysis on the

\>Electrostatic Discharge Damage ESD issue. My main point is that the

voltages

\>required to break down the polyimide are quite large and exceeds the
strength

\>of the electrical fields we measured at BiccGeneral last fall.

\>

\>As you recall, Jeanette Plante and I measured the electric fields that
were

\>generated while the re-spooler was operating at speeds of 20 and 50
m/min.

\>The maximum field difference that I measured between the two pulleys
of

\>concern was 4500 V/in. Note the measurement is in volts/inch and does
not

\>imply that there is 4500 V across the polyimide. The static problem
shows

\>that the field inside the polyimide is reduced by the dielectric
constant

\>over that which is measured outside in the air. That detail is really

\>irrelevant as the dielectric strength (or breakdown voltage) is given
in air,

\>not inside the polyimide by Dupont as 4000 V/mil. That value will vary
a

\>little with thickness and thinner layers will tend to have higher
dielectric

\>strengths. From our experiments, we now know that the polyimide
coating on

\>the fiber breaks down at relatively high voltage, 3900 V (across 15

\>microns). That corresponds to 6500 V/mil a little higher than the
Dupont

\>value. But then again, the 4000V/mil represents an average over
several

\>different thicknesses and the dielectric strength tends to increase in

\>thinner layers. Note that the fields measured at your facility were
4.5

\>kV/in and below the breakdown strength of the air (20-77 kV/in).

Otherwise,

\>we would have observed the pulleys arcing through the air to the
re-spooler

\>chassis. Converting the measured fields to V/mil, I get 4.5 V/mil and
a

\>factor of 1000 below the dielectric strength of the polyimide. Hence,
based

\>on the measured data we have obtained thusfar, I cannot conclude that
ESD

\>damage to the polyimide coating has occured during the re-spooling
process.

\>

\>To verify that conclusion, I think it is a good idea to proceed with
the plan

\>of running the uncabled fiber through the cabling process. Those
details are

\>now being worked out and will likely be a topic of discussion during
the

\>Wednesday telecon.

\>

\>Craig

\>

\>

\>

\>

\>

\>DZevotek@BICCGeneral.com on 03/13/2000 11:11:00 AM

\>To: Craig Mueller/West/Aerospace/US@Aerospace

\>cc:

\>Subject: Summary

\>

\>

\>Craig,

\>

\>I am sorry I had to leave before you where able to make your argument

\>concerning ESD. Did you have enough time to present any information? I

\>know you are busy, but could I get you to summarize your opinion of
the TIM

\>last week (especially the information presented after I left). As you
will

\>see by an email I will forward after this message, I think there are
reasons

\>to believe that we need to do a great deal more testing before we can

\>conclude anything about root cause. Alan English from Dupont has some
valid

\>arguments. I am not a scientist, nor a chemist, therefore I have to
rely on

\>the opinion of others. The one question I never got an answer to last
week

\>was if John was able to \'sniff\' any HF while handling the OC-1260. I
will

\>send him an email asking this once again.

\>

\>Let me know what you think!!!

\>

\>Best regards,

\>

\>Dale

\>

\>