Provided is a system for and a method of processing an optical fiber, such as tapering an optical fiber. The method includes receiving fiber parameters defining characteristics of an optical fiber, modeling an idealized fiber based on the fiber parameters to establish modeled data, and establishing processing parameters. A processing operation is performed on the optical fiber according to the processing parameters to produce a resultant fiber. Aspects of the resultant fiber are measured to establish measured data. The measured data and the modeled data are normalized to a common axis and a difference between the two is determined. The processing parameters are adjusted based on the differences.

Provided is a system for and a method of processing an optical fiber, such as tapering an optical fiber. The method includes receiving fiber parameters defining characteristics of an optical fiber, modeling an idealized fiber based on the fiber parameters to establish modeled data, and establishing processing parameters. A processing operation is performed on the optical fiber according to the processing parameters to produce a resultant fiber. Aspects of the resultant fiber are measured to establish measured data. The measured data and the modeled data are normalized to a common axis and a difference between the two is determined. The processing parameters are adjusted based on the differences.

A method for adjusting an etchability of a first borosilicate glass by heating the first borosilicate glass; combining the first borosilicate glass with a second borosilicate glass to form a composite; and etching the composite with an etchant. A material having a protrusive phase and a recessive phase, where the protrusive phase protrudes from the recessive phase to form a plurality of nanoscale surface features, and where the protrusive phase and the recessive phase have the same composition.

A method for adjusting an etchability of a first borosilicate glass by heating the first borosilicate glass; combining the first borosilicate glass with a second borosilicate glass to form a composite; and etching the composite with an etchant. A material having a protrusive phase and a recessive phase, where the protrusive phase protrudes from the recessive phase to form a plurality of nanoscale surface features, and where the protrusive phase and the recessive phase have the same composition.

A composite has repeating domains of an inorganic glass and a polymer, such that the inorganic glass and the polymer each have a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) or softening temperature of less than 450° C., and at least 50% of the inorganic glass domains have a length of less than 30 μm as measured along at least one cross-sectional dimension.

A method for manufacturing a fan-in-fan-out device which does not require processing of a small-diameter hole and improves work efficiency of installation of an optical fiber, includes: arranging a first holding member in a hole of a second holding member, the hole being larger than an outer diameter of the first holding member, and holding a plurality of optical fibers between the first holding member and the second holding member respectively along a plurality of grooves formed on an outer periphery of the first holding member or an inner periphery of the hole of the second holding member; heating and integrally melting the arranged first holding member, the plurality of held optical fibers, and the second holding member in a portion including an axial end portion of the second holding member; and drawing the melted portion.

A method for manufacturing a fan-in-fan-out device which does not require processing of a small-diameter hole and improves work efficiency of installation of an optical fiber, includes: arranging a first holding member in a hole of a second holding member, the hole being larger than an outer diameter of the first holding member, and holding a plurality of optical fibers between the first holding member and the second holding member respectively along a plurality of grooves formed on an outer periphery of the first holding member or an inner periphery of the hole of the second holding member; heating and integrally melting the arranged first holding member, the plurality of held optical fibers, and the second holding member in a portion including an axial end portion of the second holding member; and drawing the melted portion.

An optical fiber bundle structure includes: a plurality of optical fiber core wires; and a capillary, wherein each of the optical fiber core wires includes a glass fiber portion including a core and a clad, and a resin coated portion, the glass fiber portions are inserted in the capillary, and d2/d1 is equal to or larger than 0.57 and smaller than 1, where d1 is a diameter of the core of each of the glass fiber portions in a rear end portion of the capillary and d2 is a diameter of the core of each of the glass fiber portions in a distal end portion of the capillary.

An optical fiber bundle structure includes: a plurality of optical fiber core wires; and a capillary, wherein each of the optical fiber core wires includes a glass fiber portion including a core and a clad, and a resin coated portion, the glass fiber portions are inserted in the capillary, and d2/d1 is equal to or larger than 0.57 and smaller than 1, where d1 is a diameter of the core of each of the glass fiber portions in a rear end portion of the capillary and d2 is a diameter of the core of each of the glass fiber portions in a distal end portion of the capillary.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a glass fiber strand in which a glass fiber strand is formed by bundling a plurality of glass fiber filaments comprising molten glass drawn out from a nozzle, wherein said method for manufacturing a glass fiber strand is capable of detecting breakage of the glass fiber filaments in a more reliable manner. This method comprises: an image capturing step for generating a plurality of items of image data by continuously capturing images of a plurality of glass fiber filaments f; an image processing step for extracting, from the image data, a high luminance object having a luminance of a prescribed value or more; and a breakage detection step for detecting that a glass fiber filament f has broken on the basis of the results of the image processing in the image processing step.