A light diffusing optical fiber includes a glass core, a cladding, a phosphor layer surrounding the cladding, and a plurality of scattering structures positioned within the glass core, the cladding, or both. The phosphor layer includes two or more phosphors and is configured to convert guided light diffusing through the phosphor layer into emission light such that the color of the emission light has a chromaticity within a u-v chromaticity region on a CIE 1976 chromaticity space defined by: a first u-v boundary line and a second u-v boundary line that extend parallel to a planckian locus at a distance of 0.02 Duv from the planckian locus, a third u-v boundary line that extends along an isothermal line for a correlated color temperature of about 2000 K, and a fourth u-v boundary line that extends along an isothermal line for a correlated color temperature of about 10000 K.

A light diffusing optical fiber includes a glass core, a cladding, a phosphor layer surrounding the cladding, and a plurality of scattering structures positioned within the glass core, the cladding, or both. The phosphor layer includes two or more phosphors and is configured to convert guided light diffusing through the phosphor layer into emission light such that the color of the emission light has a chromaticity within a u-v chromaticity region on a CIE 1976 chromaticity space defined by: a first u-v boundary line and a second u-v boundary line that extend parallel to a planckian locus at a distance of 0.02 Duv from the planckian locus, a third u-v boundary line that extends along an isothermal line for a correlated color temperature of about 2000 K, and a fourth u-v boundary line that extends along an isothermal line for a correlated color temperature of about 10000 K.

An optical fiber ribbon is intermittently connected in a length direction by an intermittent connection which includes a polyol having a weight-average molecular weight of 3000 to 4000 in a specific amount relative to the entire intermittent connection and which has Young's modulus at 23 C. within a specific range. When collectively unitizing optical fiber ribbons to form an optical fiber cable, an optical fiber ribbon is formed which maintains advantages of the optical fiber ribbon and which prevents cracks of the intermittent connection and detachment of the intermittent connection from a colored optical fiber core when the cable is subjected to repetitive ironing.

An optical fiber ribbon is intermittently connected in a length direction by an intermittent connection which includes a polyol having a weight-average molecular weight of 3000 to 4000 in a specific amount relative to the entire intermittent connection and which has Young's modulus at 23 C. within a specific range. When collectively unitizing optical fiber ribbons to form an optical fiber cable, an optical fiber ribbon is formed which maintains advantages of the optical fiber ribbon and which prevents cracks of the intermittent connection and detachment of the intermittent connection from a colored optical fiber core when the cable is subjected to repetitive ironing.

A light diffusing optical fiber includes a glass core, a cladding, a phosphor layer surrounding the cladding, and a plurality of scattering structures positioned within the glass core, the cladding, or both. The phosphor layer includes two or more phosphors and is configured to convert guided light diffusing through the phosphor layer into emission light such that the color of the emission light has a chromaticity within a u-v chromaticity region on a CIE 1976 chromaticity space defined by: a first u-v boundary line and a second u-v boundary line that extend parallel to a planckian locus at a distance of 0.02 Duv from the planckian locus, a third u-v boundary line that extends along an isothermal line for a correlated color temperature of about 2000 K, and a fourth u-v boundary line that extends along an isothermal line for a correlated color temperature of about 10000 K.

A light diffusing optical fiber includes a glass core, a cladding, a phosphor layer surrounding the cladding, and a plurality of scattering structures positioned within the glass core, the cladding, or both. The phosphor layer includes two or more phosphors and is configured to convert guided light diffusing through the phosphor layer into emission light such that the color of the emission light has a chromaticity within a u-v chromaticity region on a CIE 1976 chromaticity space defined by: a first u-v boundary line and a second u-v boundary line that extend parallel to a planckian locus at a distance of 0.02 Duv from the planckian locus, a third u-v boundary line that extends along an isothermal line for a correlated color temperature of about 2000 K, and a fourth u-v boundary line that extends along an isothermal line for a correlated color temperature of about 10000 K.

Disclosed are compositions that can he used in forming products with increased near infrared (IR) reflective capability. A composition can include IR reflective and/or IR transmissive non-white pigments and can be formed with suitable viscosity so as to successfully coat substrates, e.g., yarns, suitable for use in forming coverings for architectural openings, e.g., window coverings. Also disclosed are textile substrates coated with the compositions, including textile substrates coated with compositions that in dude abrasive, inorganic IR reflective dark pigments.

A colored optical fiber includes a bare optical fiber, a primary layer formed of a first ultraviolet curing resin covering the bare optical fiber and a secondary layer formed of a second ultraviolet curing resin covering the primary layer. An outer diameter of the secondary layer is smaller than or equal to 210 ?m. A Young's modulus of the primary layer is smaller than or equal to 88% with respect to a saturated Young's modulus of the primary layer.

A method of marking an optical fiber includes forming an ink stream, moving an optical fiber over a fiber path adjacent the ink stream, and intermittently deflecting the ink stream with a gas jet so that the optical fiber at least partially enters the deflected ink stream so that the ink from the deflected ink stream forms spaced apart marks on the optical fiber outer surface. An optical fiber marking apparatus is also disclosed that includes payout and take modules that move the optical fiber over the fiber path, a marking unit configured to form an ink stream adjacent the fiber path, and an ink stream deflection device that causes the ink stream to deflect and overlap the fiber path so that ink from the ink stream forms spaced apart marks on the outer surface of the optical fiber.

An illumination system generating light having at least one wavelength within 200 nm a plurality of nano-sized structures (e.g., voids). The optical fiber coupled to the light source. The light diffusing optical fiber has a core and a cladding. The plurality of nano-sized structures is situated either within said core or at a core-cladding boundary. The optical fiber also includes an outer surface. The optical fiber is configured to scatter guided light via the nano-sized structures away from the core and through the outer surface, to form a light-source fiber portion having a length that emits substantially uniform radiation over its length, said fiber having a scattering-in- duced attenuation greater than 50 dB/km for the wavelength(s) within 200 nm to 2000 nm range.