A system for producing an optical fiber with inscribed grating array is described. The system comprises a fiber drawing apparatus for drawing an optical fiber, a writing system for inscribing a grating in the optical fiber during the drawing process of the optical fiber and a controller for controlling the driving of the writing system. According to the present invention the fiber drawing apparatus also comprises a fiber length and/or drawing detecting means for determining the fiber length and/or fiber drawing speed and/or a fiber drawing parameter during the drawing process. The controller thereby is configured for capturing information from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means and for controlling the writing system based on the captured information captured from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means.

Provided is a system for and a method of processing an optical fiber, such as tapering an optical fiber. The method includes receiving fiber parameters defining characteristics of an optical fiber, modeling an idealized fiber based on the fiber parameters to establish modeled data, and establishing processing parameters. A processing operation is performed on the optical fiber according to the processing parameters to produce a resultant fiber. Aspects of the resultant fiber are measured to establish measured data. The measured data and the modeled data are normalized to a common axis and a difference between the two is determined. The processing parameters are adjusted based on the differences.

A method of processing an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from an optical fiber preform within a draw furnace, the optical fiber extending from the draw furnace along a process pathway, the optical fiber comprising at least one halogen-doped core; and drawing the optical fiber through at least one slow cooling device positioned downstream from the draw furnace at a draw speed. The at least one slow cooling device exposes the optical fiber to a slow cooling device process temperature greater than or equal to 800° C. and less than or equal to 1600° C. The draw speed is such that the optical fiber has a residence time of at least 0.1 s in the at least one slow cooling device. An optical fiber made by such a process is also disclosed.

A system for producing an optical fiber with inscribed grating array is described. The system comprises a fiber drawing apparatus for drawing an optical fiber, a writing system for inscribing a grating in the optical fiber during the drawing process of the optical fiber and a controller for controlling the driving of the writing system. According to the present invention the fiber drawing apparatus also comprises a fiber length and/or drawing detecting means for determining the fiber length and/or fiber drawing speed and/or a fiber drawing parameter during the drawing process. The controller thereby is configured for capturing information from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means and for controlling the writing system based on the captured information captured from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means.

A system for precoating a preform for drawing optical fiber including a diameter sensor to determine a diameter of pulled optical fiber, a cooling system to cool the optical fiber once it is pulled from a furnace, a coating system to apply a coating to the optical fiber once it has cooled and an ultra-violet lamp to cure the coating.

An optical fiber draw furnace system including a muffle, a downfeed handle, and a downfeed handle extension portion. The downfeed handle is moveably disposed within an inner cavity of the muffle. The downfeed handle extension portion is connected to the downfeed handle and moveably disposed within the inner cavity of the muffle. Furthermore, the downfeed handle extension portion forms a first gap between an outer surface of the downfeed handle extension portion and an inner surface of the muffle, the first gap having a length in a range of about 0.001 m to about 0.2 m.

A system for precoating a preform for drawing optical fiber including a diameter sensor to determine a diameter of pulled optical fiber, a cooling system to cool the optical fiber once it is pulled from a furnace, a coating system to apply a coating to the optical fiber once it has cooled and an ultra-violet lamp to cure the coating.

A system for precoating a preform for drawing optical fiber including a diameter sensor to determine a diameter of pulled optical fiber, a cooling system to cool the optical fiber once it is pulled from a furnace, a coating system to apply a coating to the optical fiber once it has cooled and an ultra-violet lamp to cure the coating.

A method of producing an optical fiber is provided that includes the steps of flowing a first gas into an optical fiber draw furnace. The first gas is passed through a heated section configured to contain and heat a glass source from which the optical fiber is drawn, passing the first gas through a muffle which defines a capture chamber. A portion of the first gas is removed through at least one reclaim port operatively coupled to the capture chamber. A second gas flows into a gas screen at a rate configured to substantially recover a pressure drop associated with removing the portion of the first gas.

A system for precoating a preform for drawing optical fiber including a diameter sensor to determine a diameter of pulled optical fiber, a cooling system to cool the optical fiber once it is pulled from a furnace, a coating system to apply a coating to the optical fiber once it has cooled and an ultra-violet lamp to cure the coating.