A light irradiation device includes a light source having a plurality of solid-state elements disposed on a substrate to be defined by a first direction and a second direction in a plurality of rows and irradiate the irradiation target with light from a third direction, an optical element refracting light from the solid-state elements, emitting the light and narrowing a spread angle of light to be emitted from the solid-state elements relative to the third direction, a first reflection portion having at least two first reflection surfaces on a downstream side in the third direction of the irradiation target and reflecting a part of light incident on the first reflection surface to the irradiation target, and a second reflection portion having a pair of second reflection surfaces disposed between the optical element and the first reflection portion and guiding light from the optical element to the first reflection surface.

An optical fiber curing component includes a tube having a body defining an interior surface and an exterior surface. The tube defines a first aperture and a second aperture on opposite ends of a cavity. The tube defines a central axis extending through the cavity. A plurality of light sources is coupled to the body of the tube and configured to emit light toward the central axis of the tube. Each of the light sources intersect a common plane defined perpendicular to the central axis of the tube. A reflective coating is positioned on the interior surface of the body and configured to reflect the light toward the central axis of the tube.

An optical fiber curing component includes a tube having a body defining an interior surface and an exterior surface. The tube defines a first aperture and a second aperture on opposite ends of a cavity. The tube defines a central axis extending through the cavity. A plurality of light sources is coupled to the body of the tube and configured to emit light toward the central axis of the tube. Each of the light sources intersect a common plane defined perpendicular to the central axis of the tube. A reflective coating is positioned on the interior surface of the body and configured to reflect the light toward the central axis of the tube.

An optical fiber comprises, from a center to a periphery, a fiber core of undoped silica; a cladding layer; and a coating of polyacrylate, wherein the fiber core has a radius of 5 to 7 m and an ellipticity of less than 1.5%, the cladding layer with an ellipticity of less than 0.4% comprises inner, intermediate, and outer cladding layers, the inner cladding layer being doped with fluorine of 5 to 12 m thickness, and refractive index difference to fiber core of 0.4 to 0.2%, the outer cladding layer being undoped quartz of 25 to 45 m thickness, and the coating comprises an inner coating of 25 to 40 m thickness, and an outer coating of 25 to 35 m thickness and an ellipticity of less than 2%. The optical fiber has high durability and large effective transmission area, a method and system for preparing such optical fiber are also disclosed.

An optical fiber comprises, from a center to a periphery, a fiber core of undoped silica; a cladding layer; and a coating of polyacrylate, wherein the fiber core has a radius of 5 to 7 m and an ellipticity of less than 1.5%, the cladding layer with an ellipticity of less than 0.4% comprises inner, intermediate, and outer cladding layers, the inner cladding layer being doped with fluorine of 5 to 12 m thickness, and refractive index difference to fiber core of 0.4 to 0.2%, the outer cladding layer being undoped quartz of 25 to 45 m thickness, and the coating comprises an inner coating of 25 to 40 m thickness, and an outer coating of 25 to 35 m thickness and an ellipticity of less than 2%. The optical fiber has high durability and large effective transmission area, a method and system for preparing such optical fiber are also disclosed.

A bare optical fiber coating device includes: a nipple having a nipple hole through which a bare optical fiber is inserted vertically from above; an intermediate die that has an intermediate die hole through which the bare optical fiber passing through the nipple hole is inserted and that is disposed vertically below the nipple; a first coating die that has a first coating die hole through which the bare optical fiber passing through the intermediate die hole is inserted and that is provided vertically below the intermediate die; and a first resin circulation chamber that is formed by the nipple and the intermediate die, is formed between the nipple hole and the intermediate die hole in an annular shape surrounding the bare optical fiber passing through the nipple hole, and is configured to circulate liquid resin.

A bare optical fiber coating device includes: a nipple having a nipple hole through which a bare optical fiber is inserted vertically from above; an intermediate die that has an intermediate die hole through which the bare optical fiber passing through the nipple hole is inserted and that is disposed vertically below the nipple; a first coating die that has a first coating die hole through which the bare optical fiber passing through the intermediate die hole is inserted and that is provided vertically below the intermediate die; and a first resin circulation chamber that is formed by the nipple and the intermediate die, is formed between the nipple hole and the intermediate die hole in an annular shape surrounding the bare optical fiber passing through the nipple hole, and is configured to circulate liquid resin.

An optical fiber manufacturing method includes: drawing an optical fiber preform to form a bare optical fiber; cooling the bare optical fiber by a non-contact direction changer; adjusting a temperature of the bare optical fiber in a temperature adjusting unit disposed downstream of the non-contact direction changer and upstream of a coating unit; disposing, in the coating unit, an uncured coating layer that comprises a resin precursor on an outer periphery of the bare optical fiber; and curing the uncured coating layer in a curing unit.

An optical fiber manufacturing method includes: drawing an optical fiber preform to form a bare optical fiber; cooling the bare optical fiber by a non-contact direction changer; adjusting a temperature of the bare optical fiber in a temperature adjusting unit disposed downstream of the non-contact direction changer and upstream of a coating unit; disposing, in the coating unit, an uncured coating layer that comprises a resin precursor on an outer periphery of the bare optical fiber; and curing the uncured coating layer in a curing unit.

Aspects of the embodiments include an optical fiber formed in a low gravity environment. The optical fiber can be used in airframe applications for missile defense, oil-field applications for down-well laser applications, optical communications, and other applications. The optical fiber can include a fluoride composition, such ZrF4-BaF2-LaF3-AlF3-NaF (ZBLAN), and can be characterized by an insertion loss in a range from 13 dB/1000 km to 120 dB/1000 km. The optical fiber can deliver optical energy with low insertion loss at the desired power and wavelength for the various applications.