A curing apparatus for curing a coating composition disposed on an optical fiber, the curing apparatus including a first light source and a second light source such that the second light source is spaced from the first light with a gap. The curing apparatus further including a first reflector and a second reflector such that the second reflector is spaced from the first reflector with the gap. Furthermore, a spacer is disposed within the gap, the spacer being formed of a material configured to reflect at least about 90% of light emitted from the first light source and from the second light source, and incident on the spacer, to an optical fiber such that the reflected light has sufficient intensity to cure a coating on the optical fiber.

A method for producing a coated optical fiber uses a coating die including a liquid retaining chamber; an insertion hole portion that communicates with the liquid retaining chamber; and a coating hole portion that communicates with the liquid retaining chamber and that is opposed to the insertion hole portion via the liquid retaining chamber. The production method includes, in the coating die, coating a circumferential side surface of an optical fiber with a coating material by passing the optical fiber through the insertion hole portion, the liquid retaining chamber, and the coating hole portion while the coating material in the liquid retaining chamber is supplied to the coating hole portion, in which a viscosity μ (Pa.Math.s) of the coating material in the liquid retaining chamber, and a length L (mm) of the coating hole portion in an extending direction satisfy a relationship of μL≥1.5.

Provided is an optical fiber which has exceptional heat resistance and is highly safe. This optical fiber has a core, and a sheath of a least one layer around the outside circumference of the core, the sheath including a polymer that contains a repeating unit (A) derived from a fluoroalkyl (meth)acrylate having a specific structure.

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.

Radiation curable compositions for coating optical fibers are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a radiation curable composition includes a reactive oligomer component, wherein a portion of the polymerizable groups of the reactive oligomer component include methacrylate groups; a reactive diluent monomer component, wherein a portion of the polymerizable groups of the reactive diluent monomer component include acrylate groups, acrylamide groups, or N-vinyl amide groups, or combinations thereof; a photoinitiator component, and an optional additive component. Also described are methods of coating the radiation curable compositions elsewhere described, and the fiber optic coatings and cables resulting therefrom.

Provided herein is a method of and system for processing an optical fiber. The method includes the steps of drawing an optical fiber in a drawing direction along a process pathway through a coating chamber comprising an inlet and an outlet, and a coating liquid volume to coat the optical fiber; supplying the coating liquid through the inlet, the coating liquid exiting the coating chamber through the outlet; and recirculating to coating liquid exiting the coating chamber to the inlet.

The present disclosure provides coating compositions that can be cured at fast rates as well as coatings and cured products formed from the coating compositions. The coating compositions include an acylgermane photoinitiator that leads to fast cure speeds. The coating compositions include primary coating compositions and secondary coating compositions. The coating compositions can be cured to form primary and secondary coatings of optical fibers. The primary coatings feature low Young's modulus and high tear strength. The primary coatings provide good microbending performance and are resistant to defect formation during the fiber draw process and subsequent handling operations. The secondary coatings feature high Young's modulus and good puncture resistance.

A light irradiation device includes a first reflective portion that is arranged at a concave inner surface formed so as to have a substantially arcuate shape and that permits wire-like member to be inserted into an interior thereof, at least one light-emitting portion that emits light in such fashion as to be directed toward the wire-like member from a direction which is circumferential with respect to the wire-like member, and a second reflective portion that is formed in planar fashion, at least a portion of the second reflective portion is arranged between an end of the first reflective portion and an end of the light-emitting portion in a direction circumferential with respect to the first reflective portion.

Distributed fiber optic chemical and radiation sensors formed by coating the fibers with certain types of response materials are provided. For distributed chemical sensors, the coatings are reactive with the targets; the heat absorbed or released during a reaction will cause a local temperature change on the fiber. For distributed radiation sensors, coating a fiber with a scintillator enhances sensitivity toward thermal neutrons, for example, by injecting light into the fiber. The luminescent components in these materials are taken from conjugated polymeric and oligomeric dyes, metal organic frameworks with sorbed dyes, and two-photon-absorbing semiconductors. The compositions may exhibit strong gamma rejection. Other scintillators combining luminescent materials with neutron converters are available. With a multiple-layer coating, it may be possible to identify the presence of both neutrons and gamma rays, for example. Coatings may be applied during manufacture or in the field.

An apparatus for curing a coating composition disposed on a glass optical fiber. The apparatus includes a reflector, the reflector having an interior surface delineating a boundary of a cavity, the interior surface including a plurality of portions, each of the portions extending along a different curved contour. Furthermore, each of the plurality of portions is configured to reflect curing light so that the reflected curing light is concentrated to a curing zone within the cavity such that all the reflected curing light within the curing zone has an intensity of about 60% or greater relative to a maximum intensity of the reflected curing light. A fiber location for the glass optical fiber is located within the curing zone. Additionally, the plurality of portions includes at least a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a different degree of curvature than the second portion.