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.

A method of marking an optical fiber includes forming an ink stream, moving an optical fiber over a fiber path adjacent the ink stream, and intermittently deflecting the ink stream with a gas jet so that the optical fiber at least partially enters the deflected ink stream so that the ink from the deflected ink stream forms spaced apart marks on the optical fiber outer surface. An optical fiber marking apparatus is also disclosed that includes payout and take modules that move the optical fiber over the fiber path, a marking unit configured to form an ink stream adjacent the fiber path, and an ink stream deflection device that causes the ink stream to deflect and overlap the fiber path so that ink from the ink stream forms spaced apart marks on the outer surface of the optical fiber.

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber with a hole from a preform having a through hole is disclosed. The manufacturing method includes placing a preform in a drawing furnace, forming an optical fiber by melting and drawing the preform in the drawing furnace while a gas is introduced into the through hole, capturing an image of the optical fiber drawn from the preform, and measuring a hole diameter of the optical fiber based on an image captured in the capturing of the image and controlling a pressure of the gas introduced into the through hole based on a measurement result. In the capturing of the image, when the optical fiber deviates, a predetermined countermeasure is taken to make the image clear, and the image is maintained in a clear state.

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber with a hole from a preform having a through hole is disclosed. The manufacturing method includes placing a preform in a drawing furnace, forming an optical fiber by melting and drawing the preform in the drawing furnace while a gas is introduced into the through hole, capturing an image of the optical fiber drawn from the preform, and measuring a hole diameter of the optical fiber based on an image captured in the capturing of the image and controlling a pressure of the gas introduced into the through hole based on a measurement result. In the capturing of the image, when the optical fiber deviates, a predetermined countermeasure is taken to make the image clear, and the image is maintained in a clear state.

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.

An optical fiber ribbon is intermittently connected in a length direction by an intermittent connection which includes a polyol having a weight-average molecular weight of 3000 to 4000 in a specific amount relative to the entire intermittent connection and which has Young's modulus at 23 C. within a specific range. When collectively unitizing optical fiber ribbons to form an optical fiber cable, an optical fiber ribbon is formed which maintains advantages of the optical fiber ribbon and which prevents cracks of the intermittent connection and detachment of the intermittent connection from a colored optical fiber core when the cable is subjected to repetitive ironing.

An optical fiber ribbon is intermittently connected in a length direction by an intermittent connection which includes a polyol having a weight-average molecular weight of 3000 to 4000 in a specific amount relative to the entire intermittent connection and which has Young's modulus at 23 C. within a specific range. When collectively unitizing optical fiber ribbons to form an optical fiber cable, an optical fiber ribbon is formed which maintains advantages of the optical fiber ribbon and which prevents cracks of the intermittent connection and detachment of the intermittent connection from a colored optical fiber core when the cable is subjected to repetitive ironing.

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.

A drawing system for polygonal optical fiber is provided, comprising: a clamping moving device, a furnace, a protective layer coating device, at least a protective layer drying system, and a fiber take-up device, all arranged from top to bottom; the clamping moving device clamping a polygonal preform rod and slowly moving the preform rod into the furnace; a polygonal optical fiber extracted from bottom of the furnace passing sequentially through the protective layer coating device, the protective layer drying system, and finally the fiber take-up device controlling drawing speed of the polygonal optical fiber, characterized in that: at least two optical fiber micrometers being disposed between the furnace and the protective layer coating device, and the two optical fiber micrometer respectively measuring two outer diameters of different sizes of the polygonal optical fiber; the fiber take-up device adjusting the drawing speed according to measurement results of the optical fiber micrometers.

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.