A method for adjusting an etchability of a first borosilicate glass by heating the first borosilicate glass; combining the first borosilicate glass with a second borosilicate glass to form a composite; and etching the composite with an etchant. A material having a protrusive phase and a recessive phase, where the protrusive phase protrudes from the recessive phase to form a plurality of nanoscale surface features, and where the protrusive phase and the recessive phase have the same composition.

An assembly for chopping glass fibers including a cutter wheel having radially extending blades and a cot wheel adjacent the cutter wheel. The cot wheel may include an inner hub and an elastomeric ring mounted onto the inner hub for rotation therewith. The elastomeric ring may include an inner portion having a first hardness and an outer portion having a second hardness that is less than the first hardness. The outer portion being positioned to contact the cutter blades during operation of the system.

An assembly for chopping glass fibers including a cutter wheel having radially extending blades and a cot wheel adjacent the cutter wheel. The cot wheel may include an inner hub and an elastomeric ring mounted onto the inner hub for rotation therewith. The elastomeric ring may include an inner portion having a first hardness and an outer portion having a second hardness that is less than the first hardness. The outer portion being positioned to contact the cutter blades during operation of the system.

An optical fiber cutter includes a device main body that includes a lid rotatably mounted with respect to a base and grips an optical fiber by an at least one lower gripper provided on the base and an upper gripper provided on the lid; a movable blade member that scratches a surface of the optical fiber gripped between the lower gripper and the upper gripper; and a pressing portion that presses the optical fiber scratched by the blade member to cut the optical fiber, wherein the at least one lower gripper is a gripping member separate from the base and is rotatable about a rotation fulcrum, and wherein a rotation fulcrum of the upper gripper paired with the at least one lower gripper is on the same center line as the rotation fulcrum of the at least one lower gripper.

An apparatus for cutting a workpiece, the apparatus having a pair of spaced apart rails fixed to a handle, the rails extending away from the handle in a first direction, a guide carriage slidingly engaged with the rails, a blade carriage slidingly engaged with the rails between the handle and the guide carriage, a pair of runners for supporting the workpiece, one of the runners joined with the handle and a second one of the runners joined with the guide carriage, the runners extensive in a second direction non-parallel to the first direction, and a cutting blade engaged with the blade carriage in a position for cutting into the workpiece during relative movement between the apparatus and the workpiece. With the guide carriage adjusted for receiving the workpiece on the runners between the guide carriage and the handle, the blade carriage is adjusted to a location for severing the workpiece.

A glass cane is manufactured by filling a glass tube with a combination of glass structures forming a cross-sectional pattern within the glass tube, to form a preform. The preform is attached to a draw assembly, such as a draw tower. The draw assembly is operated o draw the preform to a reduced-diameter glass cane by passing the preform through a furnace of the draw assembly while pulling the preform or the reduced-diameter glass cane and rotating the preform or the reduced-diameter glass cane.

A glass cane is manufactured by filling a glass tube with a combination of glass structures forming a cross-sectional pattern within the glass tube, to form a preform. The preform is attached to a draw assembly, such as a draw tower. The draw assembly is operated o draw the preform to a reduced-diameter glass cane by passing the preform through a furnace of the draw assembly while pulling the preform or the reduced-diameter glass cane and rotating the preform or the reduced-diameter glass cane.

A method for manufacturing glass chopped strands is provided that includes cutting, into a predetermined length, a doubled glass strand that combines glass strands drawn from cakes each of which is formed by winding one of the glass strands. The doubled glass strand, from which the glass chopped strands are manufactured, is formed by combining a first glass strand or strands that are twisted clockwise when drawn from some of the cakes and a second glass strand or strands that are twisted counterclockwise when drawn from the rest of the cakes.

A method for manufacturing glass chopped strands is provided that includes cutting, into a predetermined length, a doubled glass strand that combines glass strands drawn from cakes each of which is formed by winding one of the glass strands. The doubled glass strand, from which the glass chopped strands are manufactured, is formed by combining a first glass strand or strands that are twisted clockwise when drawn from some of the cakes and a second glass strand or strands that are twisted counterclockwise when drawn from the rest of the cakes.

An optical fiber for efficient coupling of optical signals to photonic devices. The optical fiber includes a Cl doped tapered core region with a changing outer diameter and changing maximum core refractive index to provide improved coupling at wavelength of interest to photonic devices. The photonic devices may be, for example, silicon photonic devices with an operating wavelength at or near 1310 nm, or at or near 1550 nm.