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.

An optical fiber manufacturing method includes: coating an outer periphery of a bare optical fiber with a resin before curing by a coating device; and curing the resin with a coating curing device. The following equations are satisfied: t×sin θ>T1× tan θ and θ=tan.sup.−1 (d/L), where T1 is a tension in the upstream of the coating device, t is the shear force applied to the bare optical fiber by the resin, d is the design maximum value of a deviation amount of an entry position of the bare optical fiber into the resin in the coating device with respect to the center axis of the die hole of the coating device, and L is the contact length between the resin and the bare optical fiber in the coating device along the center axis.

An optical fiber manufacturing method includes: coating an outer periphery of a bare optical fiber with a resin before curing by a coating device; and curing the resin with a coating curing device. The following equations are satisfied: t×sin θ>T1× tan θ and θ=tan.sup.−1 (d/L), where T1 is a tension in the upstream of the coating device, t is the shear force applied to the bare optical fiber by the resin, d is the design maximum value of a deviation amount of an entry position of the bare optical fiber into the resin in the coating device with respect to the center axis of the die hole of the coating device, and L is the contact length between the resin and the bare optical fiber in the coating device along the center axis.

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.

A method for applying a water-absorbing polymer coating onto an optical fibre having a core, a cladding and at least a primary coating includes coating the optical fibre with an organic solvent-free radiation curable coating composition and initiating polymerization. The polymerization may be initiated with UV light. The coated optical fibre may be combined in a tubular or flat sheath, e.g., as a multi-fibre cable or ribbon. The coated optical fibre may be a coloured coated optical fibre.

An optical fiber has a core to which chlorine is added and a clad to which fluorine is added, chlorine of 9000 to 13000 ppm is added to the core, a relative refractive index difference Δ1 of the core to a pure silica glass is 0.09 to 0.13%, a relative refractive index difference Δ2 of the clad to a pure silica glass is −0.36 to −0.17%, a difference (Δ1-Δ2) between the relative refractive index difference Δ1 of the core and the relative refractive index difference Δ2 of the clad is larger than or equal to 0.30%, a mode field diameter at wavelength 1.31 μm is 8.8 to 9.6 μm, and a stress difference occurring at an interface between the core and the clad is lower than or equal to 60 MPa.

An optical fiber has a core to which chlorine is added and a clad to which fluorine is added, chlorine of 9000 to 13000 ppm is added to the core, a relative refractive index difference Δ1 of the core to a pure silica glass is 0.09 to 0.13%, a relative refractive index difference Δ2 of the clad to a pure silica glass is −0.36 to −0.17%, a difference (Δ1-Δ2) between the relative refractive index difference Δ1 of the core and the relative refractive index difference Δ2 of the clad is larger than or equal to 0.30%, a mode field diameter at wavelength 1.31 μm is 8.8 to 9.6 μm, and a stress difference occurring at an interface between the core and the clad is lower than or equal to 60 MPa.

A photoirradiation device includes an insertion path for inserting a wire rod; a first reflector having a circular arc shape centered on a point shifted from a center of the insertion path by a first distance, one side of the first reflector facing the insertion path being a reflective surface; a second reflector disposed adjacent open edges of the first reflector and having a circular arc shape centered on a point shifted from the center of the insertion path by a second distance that is different from the first distance, one side of the second reflector facing the insertion path being a reflective surface; and a light source that is positioned on an opposite side of the insertion path from the first reflector and that projects light toward the wire rod.

A photoirradiation device includes an insertion path for inserting a wire rod; a first reflector having a circular arc shape centered on a point shifted from a center of the insertion path by a first distance, one side of the first reflector facing the insertion path being a reflective surface; a second reflector disposed adjacent open edges of the first reflector and having a circular arc shape centered on a point shifted from the center of the insertion path by a second distance that is different from the first distance, one side of the second reflector facing the insertion path being a reflective surface; and a light source that is positioned on an opposite side of the insertion path from the first reflector and that projects light toward the wire rod.

An optical fiber curing component includes a first tube comprising a first body defining a first interior surface and a first exterior surface, the first tube defining a first aperture and a second aperture on opposite ends of a first cavity, wherein the first tube defines a central axis extending through the first cavity; light sources coupled to the first body of the first tube and configured to emit light toward the central axis of the first tube, wherein each of the light sources intersect a common plane defined perpendicular to the central axis of the first tube; a silica glass article, having an anti-reflective coating, disposed between each of the plurality of light sources and the central axis of the first tube; and a reflective coating positioned on the interior surface of the first body and configured to reflect the light toward the central axis of the first tube.