<s>
In	O
telecommunications	O
and	O
fiber	B-Architecture
optics	I-Architecture
,	O
a	O
plastic-clad	B-Device
silica	I-Device
fiber	I-Device
or	O
polymer-clad	O
silica	O
fiber	O
(	O
PCS	O
)	O
is	O
an	O
optical	B-Architecture
fiber	I-Architecture
that	O
has	O
a	O
silica-based	O
core	O
and	O
a	O
plastic	O
cladding	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
cladding	B-Device
of	O
a	O
PCS	O
fiber	O
should	O
not	O
be	O
confused	O
with	O
the	O
polymer	O
overcoat	O
of	O
a	O
conventional	O
all-silica	B-Device
fiber	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
applications	O
of	O
plastic-clad	B-Device
silica	I-Device
fiber	I-Device
are	O
industrial	O
,	O
medical	O
or	O
sensing	O
applications	O
where	O
cores	O
that	O
are	O
larger	O
than	O
those	O
used	O
in	O
standard	O
data	O
communications	O
fibers	O
are	O
advantageous	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PCS	O
fibers	O
in	O
general	O
have	O
significantly	O
lower	O
performance	O
characteristics	O
,	O
particularly	O
higher	O
transmission	O
losses	O
and	O
lower	O
bandwidths	O
,	O
than	O
all-glass	B-Device
fibers	I-Device
.	O
</s>
