A method for preparing optical fibers formed with high-particle-coated porous polymeric outer coating layer is provided. The method includes preparing a coating suspension solution by dispersing a plurality of particles into an organic solvent system, immersing one or more optical fibers into the coating suspension solution, removing the one or more optical fibers from the coating suspension solution to form high-particle-coated porous polymeric outer coating layer after drying. Concentrations and compositions of the particles in the coating suspension solution, concentrations and compositions of the organic solvent system, the period of time of immersing, or the external environment are adjusted such that the optical fibers is formed with high-particle-coated polymeric outer coating layers having desirable coating masses, coating thicknesses, or coating morphologies.

The systems and methods of forming optical fiber coatings with reduced defects include moving a bare optical fiber through first and second coating sub-systems. The first coating sub-system forms a first coating on the bare optical fiber by depositing a first coating material and then curing the deposited first coating material with actinic light. This process also results in the formation of stray actinic light. The process also includes moving the coated optical fiber through a second coating sub-system to form a second coating on the first coating. A light-blocking device resides between the first and second coating sub-systems to block the stray actinic light. Without the light-blocking device, the stray actinic light can enter the second coating sub-system and reach the second coating material therein and form a gel therefrom, which in turn leads to defects in the coated optical fiber exiting the second coating sub-system.

Embodiments of the invention include a hybrid or electro-optical cable. The cable includes an optical fiber having a core region and a cladding region formed around the core region, and at least one coating region formed around the optical fiber cladding region. The coating region includes at least one first electrically conductive carbon structure, at least one second electrically conductive carbon structure, and an electrically insulating material coupled between the first electrically conductive carbon structure and the second electrically conductive carbon structure. The cable provides optical energy transmission via the optical fiber. The cable also provides electrical energy transmission via the at least one first and second electrically conductive carbon structures.

Various examples and systems are provided for enhancing optical fibers for sensing temperature and/or strain at low temperatures (e.g., 1.8K to 77K or lower). An enhanced optical fiber for distributed sensing can comprise a core, a cladding surrounding the core, and a coating surrounding the cladding. A coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the coating is greater than a CTE of silica and/or a Young's modulus (E) of the coating is greater than an E of silica.

Embodiments of the invention include a hybrid or electro-optical cable. The cable includes an optical fiber having a core region and a cladding region formed around the core region, and at least one coating region formed around the optical fiber cladding region. The coating region includes at least one first electrically conductive carbon structure, at least one second electrically conductive carbon structure, and an electrically insulating material coupled between the first electrically conductive carbon structure and the second electrically conductive carbon structure. The cable provides optical energy transmission via the optical fiber. The cable also provides electrical energy transmission via the at least one first and second electrically conductive carbon structures.

A process for manufacturing an optical fibre unit for air-blown installations includes: providing a deposition chamber for applying particulate material, the deposition chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end and a longitudinal axis; passing through the deposition chamber an optical fibre assembly including at least one optical fibre embedded in an inner layer of cured resin material, and having an outer layer around the inner layer, the outer layer including uncured resin material; injecting a flow of fluid and particle material in the chamber in a direction substantially parallel to the chamber longitudinal axis, at an injection speed of 5 m/s at most; perturbing the flow when in the chamber, thus causing the particle material to impact and partially embed into the outer layer of the optical fibre assembly; and curing the outer layer.

A waveguide for high efficiency transmission of high energy light useful in ablation procedures at predetermined bandwidths over predetermined distances comprising: an optical fiber core; a silanization agent; layered cladding surrounding the optical fiber core comprising: a first thin metal layer comprising at least two types of metals the first thin metal layer covalently bonded to the core and a second thin metal layer bonded to the second metal layer, and a catalyst component; wherein the silanization agent comprising organofunctional alkoxysilane molecule, such as 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS), is a self supporting bridge between the surface of the optical fiber and the first metal layer; the first metal layer is uniformly chemisorbed onto the surface of the optical fiber by means of covalent SiOSi bonds with the optical fiber; further wherein the catalyst component derived from an activation solution for enhancing the layered cladding upon the optical fiber.

An optical fiber includes a glass fiber including a core and a cladding, and a first resin layer in contact with the glass fiber and covering the glass fiber. The first resin layer includes a cured product of a resin composition containing a photopolymerizable compound and a photopolymerization initiator, and when the first resin layer is heated from 30? C. to 150? C., a rate of reduction in mass of the first resin layer is 6.0% by mass or less.

The optical fiber includes a glass fiber and a coating resin layer. The coating resin layer includes a primary resin layer and a secondary resin layer. The glass fiber has an outer diameter of from 79 ?m to 81 ?m. The secondary resin layer has an outer diameter of from 120 ?m to 170 ?m. The primary resin layer has an in situ elastic modulus of from 0.1 MPa to 0.4 MPa. The secondary resin layer has an in situ elastic modulus of from 1200 MPa to 2800 MPa. A maximum value of amplitude of an amount of eccentricity is 10 ?m or less in a spectrum obtained by measuring the amount of eccentricity of the glass fiber and by applying Fourier transform to a waveform representing the amount of eccentricity.

The optical fiber includes a glass fiber and a coating resin layer. The coating resin layer includes a primary resin layer and a secondary resin layer. The glass fiber has an outer diameter of from 99 ?m to 101 ?m. The secondary resin layer has an outer diameter of from 120 ?m to 170 ?m. The primary resin layer has an in situ elastic modulus of from 0.1 MPa to 0.4 MPa. The secondary resin layer has an in situ elastic modulus of from 1200 MPa to 2800 MPa. A maximum value of amplitude of an amount of eccentricity is 6 ?m or less in a spectrum obtained by measuring the amount of eccentricity of the glass fiber and by applying Fourier transform to a waveform representing the amount of eccentricity.