A method may include (1) coating a segment of fiber optic cable with an adhesive substance, (2) forming a coil of the segment of fiber optic cable, (3) deforming the coil into a noncircular shape defining a slot external to the coil while obeying a minimum bend radius requirement for the segment of fiber optic cable, and (4) activating the adhesive substance to stabilize the noncircular shape of the coil. Various other methods and apparatuses, such as those for performing the deforming operation, are also disclosed.

A method may include (1) coating a segment of fiber optic cable with an adhesive substance, (2) forming a coil of the segment of fiber optic cable, (3) deforming the coil into a noncircular shape defining a slot external to the coil while obeying a minimum bend radius requirement for the segment of fiber optic cable, and (4) activating the adhesive substance to stabilize the noncircular shape of the coil. Various other methods and apparatuses, such as those for performing the deforming operation, are also disclosed.

An optical fiber comprises a glass fiber having a core and a cladding with which the core is covered, and a coating resin layer with which the glass fiber is covered, the coating resin layer having a colored layer of a thickness of 10 μm or more, wherein a change rate of a yellow index of the coating resin layer after aging due to temperature and humidity under an environment of 85° C. and 85% RH for 30 days is 5 or less per day.

According to some embodiments a method of processing an optical fiber comprises the steps of: (i) drawing the fiber at a drawing rate of at least 30 m/sec; and (ii) cooling the drawn fiber in a gas at an average cooling rate less than 5000° C./s, such that said cooling reduces the temperature of the fiber from an entering temperature in the range between 1500° C. and 1700° C. to another temperature in the range between 1200° C. and 1400° C., the gas being at a temperature between 800° C. and 1500° C.; and the thermal conductivity κ of the gas being not greater than 1.5×10.sup.−4 cal/cm-s-K for at least one temperature within a range of 800° C. to 1500° C. at one atm (atmosphere) pressure absolute.

A high-density optical fiber ribbon is formed by two or more cladding-strengthened glass optical fibers each having an outer surface and that do not individually include a protective polymer coating. A common protective coating substantially surrounds the outer surfaces of the two or more cladding-strengthened glass optical fibers so that the common protective coating is common to the two or more cladding-strengthened glass optical fibers. A fiber ribbon cable is formed by adding a cover assembly to the fiber ribbon. A fiber ribbon interconnect is formed adding one or more optical connectors to the fiber ribbon or fiber ribbon cable. Optical data transmission systems that employ the fiber ribbon to optically connect to a photonic device are also disclosed. Methods of forming the cladding-strengthened glass optical fibers and the high-density optical fiber ribbons are also disclosed.

Aspects of the embodiments are directed to systems and methods for forming an optical fiber in a low gravity environment, and an optical fiber formed in a low gravity environment. The system can include a preform holder configured to secure a preform; a heating element secured to a heating element stage and residing adjacent the preform holder; a heating element stage motor configured to move the heating element stage; a tension sensor; a spool; a spool tension motor coupled to the spool and configured to rotate the spool; and a control system communicably coupled to the heating element stage motor and the spool tension motor and configured to control the movement of the heating element stage based on a rotational speed of the spool. The optical fiber can include a fluoride composition, such ZrF4-BaF2-LaF3-AlF3-NaF (ZBLAN), and can be characterized by an insertion loss in a range from 13 dB/1000 km to 120 dB/1000 km.

A method for manufacturing an optical fiber is a method for manufacturing an optical fiber including a glass fiber, and a coating resin layer that coats the glass fiber by being in contact with the glass fiber. The method includes a step of increasing a dissolved oxygen concentration in an ultraviolet ray curable resin composition, a step of applying the ultraviolet ray curable resin composition, in which the dissolved oxygen concentration is increased, onto the glass fiber, and a step of curing the ultraviolet ray curable resin composition by irradiating the ultraviolet ray curable resin composition that is applied onto the glass fiber with an ultraviolet ray.

A method for manufacturing an optical fiber is a method for manufacturing an optical fiber including a glass fiber, and a coating resin layer that coats the glass fiber by being in contact with the glass fiber. The method includes a step of increasing a dissolved oxygen concentration in an ultraviolet ray curable resin composition, a step of applying the ultraviolet ray curable resin composition, in which the dissolved oxygen concentration is increased, onto the glass fiber, and a step of curing the ultraviolet ray curable resin composition by irradiating the ultraviolet ray curable resin composition that is applied onto the glass fiber with an ultraviolet ray.

A visible-light-photocatalyzed composite light-transmitting concrete contains several bundles of optical fibers, the optical fibers are coated with a protective layer on their outer surface, the protective layer contains a visible light photocatalyst, and the concrete has several gas-permeable pores. Such concrete is prepared by mixing a visible light photocatalyst and a light-transmitting glue, applying the mixture to the surface of optical fibers to form a protective layer, and using optical fibers in the concrete. The resulting concrete has dual properties of light transmittance and photocatalytic oxidation of gas-phase pollutants under visible light irradiation. The visible-light-photocatalyzed composite light-transmitting concrete significantly breaks through the limitation of photocatalytic concrete to light sources, so that gas-phase pollutants can be removed under visible light irradiation through photocatalysis of light-transmitting concrete. It also has good mechanical properties, decorativeness, and functional practicability due to coated optical fibers.

Disclosed herein is a coating composition comprising a silsesquioxane component having one or more reactive functional groups that render it curable using ultraviolet radiation; where the one or more reactive functional groups are selected from the group consisting of an acrylate, a vinyl ether, or an epoxy; and optionally, a co-reactive non-silsesquioxane monomer and/or an oligomer having one or more reactive functional groups that are curable using ultraviolet radiation and are selected from the group consisting of free radically curable acrylates, cationically curable epoxies, and cationically curable vinyl ethers; where the coating composition is disposed and cured on an optical article; where the optical article is at least one of an optical fiber or an optical planar waveguide; and where the average functionality of the composition is greater than one.