A method of applying a coating liquid to an optical fiber is described. An optical fiber is drawn through a guide die into a pressurized coating chamber and through the pressurized coating chamber to a sizing die. The pressurized coating chamber contains a coating liquid. The method includes directing coating liquid in a direction transverse to the processing pathway of the optical fiber in the pressurized coating chamber. The transverse flow of coating liquid counteracts detrimental effects associated with gyres that form in the pressurized coating chamber during the draw process. Benefits of the transverse flow include removal of bubbles, reduction in the temperature of the gyre, improved wetting, homogenization of the properties of the coating liquid in the pressurized coating chamber, and stabilization of the meniscus.

A method of applying a coating liquid to an optical fiber is described. An optical fiber is drawn through a guide die into a pressurized coating chamber and through the pressurized coating chamber to a sizing die. The pressurized coating chamber contains a coating liquid. The method includes directing coating liquid in a direction transverse to the processing pathway of the optical fiber in the pressurized coating chamber. The transverse flow of coating liquid counteracts detrimental effects associated with gyres that form in the pressurized coating chamber during the draw process. Benefits of the transverse flow include removal of bubbles, reduction in the temperature of the gyre, improved wetting, homogenization of the properties of the coating liquid in the pressurized coating chamber, and stabilization of the meniscus.

An optical fiber manufacturing method includes a process of passing a glass fiber through a fiber path before applying a resin. The glass fiber is drawn from a glass preform, the fiber path is formed through a cooling tube, and the cooling tube is housed in a casing and is cooled by a coolant. The process includes supplying a dry gas into a dry space formed between the casing and the cooling tube. The dry gas has a first dew point lower than the temperature of the cooling tube. The process includes measuring, by a dew point meter, a second dew point at one or both of an inlet and an outlet of the fiber path. The process includes controlling the temperature of the coolant in the cooling tube such that the temperature of the cooling tube is higher than the second dew point measured by the dew point meter.

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.

A method of forming a metallized minor coating on a light diffusing optical fiber (110) includes contacting an end face (118) of a second end (114) of a light diffusing optical fiber (110) with a metallized mirror precursor. The light diffusing optical fiber (110) includes a first end (112) opposite the second end (114), a core (120), a polymer cladding (122) surrounding the core (120) and coplanar with the core at the end face (118) of the second end (114), an outer surface (128), and a plurality of scattering structures (125) positioned within the core (120), the polymer cladding (122), or both, that are configured to scatter guided light toward the outer surface (128) of the light diffusing optical fiber (110). The method also includes heating the metallized minor precursor such that the metallized mirror precursor bonds to the core (120) and the polymer cladding (122) at the end face (118) of the second end (114) thereby forming a metallized minor coating on the end face (118) of the second end (114).

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber wire includes applying ultraviolet curable resin onto the outer periphery of a traveling optical fiber, cooling the ultraviolet curable resin applied to the optical fiber using first cooled inert gas, and curing the ultraviolet curable resin by radiating ultraviolet rays on the ultraviolet curable resin that is cooled by the first cooled inert gas through an ultraviolet transparent tube.

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber wire includes applying ultraviolet curable resin onto the outer periphery of a traveling optical fiber, cooling the ultraviolet curable resin applied to the optical fiber using first cooled inert gas, and curing the ultraviolet curable resin by radiating ultraviolet rays on the ultraviolet curable resin that is cooled by the first cooled inert gas through an ultraviolet transparent tube.

The present description provides multimode optical fibers with reduced cladding thickness. The optical fibers include a reduced-diameter glass fiber and/or reduced-thickness coatings. The overall diameter of the optical fibers is less than 210 m and examples with diameters less than 160 m are presented. Puncture resistant secondary coatings enable thinning of the secondary coating without compromising protection of the glass fiber. The optical fibers are suitable for data center applications and features high modal bandwidth, low attenuation, low microbending sensitivity, and puncture resistance in a compact form factor.

The present description provides multimode optical fibers with reduced cladding thickness. The optical fibers include a reduced-diameter glass fiber and/or reduced-thickness coatings. The overall diameter of the optical fibers is less than 210 m and examples with diameters less than 160 m are presented. Puncture resistant secondary coatings enable thinning of the secondary coating without compromising protection of the glass fiber. The optical fibers are suitable for data center applications and features high modal bandwidth, low attenuation, low microbending sensitivity, and puncture resistance in a compact form factor.

A light irradiation device includes at least one irradiation unit including a reflective surface which is disposed in a concave inner surface formed to have a substantially arc shape and into which a wire member is inserted, and a light source which is configured to emit light toward the wire member and is disposed so as to face the reflective surface in a direction of an optical axis of the emitted light, and an insertion portion configured to interiorly form an insertion path for inserting the wire member into the reflective surface. The reflective surface is disposed such that a center of the substantially arc shape is eccentric with respect to a center of the insertion path.