Optical fiber illumination systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016238784-A1
Application number	US-201615002804-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 21, 2016
Priority date	Feb 18, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A light-diffusing optical fiber with a light-guiding core having a plurality of elongated glass rods each oriented substantially parallel with each other and with the length of the optical fiber. The fiber also includes a cladding surrounding the glass core, the cladding having a refractive index similar to, or lower than, a refractive index of the glass core. The light-guiding core includes a plurality of gaps formed between the plurality of elongated glass rods, the plurality of gaps scattering light away from the light-guiding core and through the cladding.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A light-diffusing optical fiber comprising:
a light-guiding core comprising a plurality of elongated glass rods each oriented substantially parallel with each other and with the length of the optical fiber; a cladding surrounding said light-guiding core, the cladding comprising a refractive index similar to, or lower than, a refractive index of the light-guiding core; wherein the light-guiding core further comprises a plurality of gaps formed between the plurality of elongated glass rods, the plurality of gaps scattering light away from the light-guiding core and through the cladding.

2 . The light-diffusing optical fiber of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elongated glass rods comprise a plurality of different diameters.

3 . The light-diffusing optical fiber of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elongated glass rods comprise a material selected from the group consisting of soda lime, borosilicate, alumiborosilicate, silica, and mixtures thereof.

4 . The light-diffusing optical fiber of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elongated glass rods comprise a diameter of approximately 50 μm or less.

5 . The light-diffusing optical fiber of claim 1 , wherein the refractive index of the light-guiding core is approximately 1.46 to 1.75.

6 . The light-diffusing optical fiber of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the light-guiding core is approximately 100 to 200 μm.

7 . The light-diffusing optical fiber of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gaps comprise a plurality of different sizes.

8 . The light-diffusing fiber of claim 1 , further comprising an outer layer, the outer layer comprising a polymer with scattering nanoparticles.

9 . An illumination system, comprising:
a light source configured to generate light; at least one light-diffusing optical fiber comprising: (i) a light-guiding core having a plurality of elongated glass rods each oriented substantially parallel with each other and with the length of the light-diffusing optical fiber; (ii) a cladding surrounding said light-guiding core, the cladding comprising a refractive index similar to, or lower than, a refractive index of the light-guiding core, wherein the light-guiding core further comprises a plurality of gaps formed between the plurality of elongated glass rods, the plurality of gaps scattering light away from the light-guiding core and through the cladding.

10 . The illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the light-diffusing optical fiber emits substantially uniform radiation over its length.

11 . The illumination system of claim 9 , wherein said cladding comprises either silica based glass or polymer.

12 . The illumination system of claim 9 , wherein said light-diffusing optical fiber further comprises a coating disposed on an outer surface of the fiber.

13 . The illumination system of claim 9 , when said light source generates light in 200-2000 nm wavelength range.

14 . The illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the optical fiber further comprises at least one of pigment, phosphors, fluorescent material, UV absorbing material, hydrophilic material, light modifying material, or a combination thereof.

15 . The illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of elongated glass rods comprise a plurality of different diameters.

16 . The illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of elongated glass rods comprise a material selected from the group consisting of soda lime, borosilicate, alumiborosilicate, silica, and mixtures thereof.

17 . The illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of elongated glass rods comprise a diameter of approximately 50 μm or less.

18 . The illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the refractive index of the light-guiding core is approximately 1.46 to 1.75.

19 . The illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the diameter of the light-guiding core is approximately 100 to 200 μm.

20 . The illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of gaps comprise a plurality of different sizes.

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Logunov Stephan Lvovich

Classifications

• G02B6/02366

  Single ring of structures, e.g. "air clad" · CPC title

• G02B6/02333

  Core having higher refractive index than cladding, e.g. solid core, effective index guiding · CPC title

• G02B6/001 Primary

  the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre · CPC title

• G02B6/02395

  Glass optical fibre with a protective coating, e.g. two layer polymer coating deposited directly on a silica cladding surface during fibre manufacture (G02B6/02052, G02B6/02057, G02B6/024, G02B6/032, G02B6/105, G02B6/14 take precedence; coating on fibre gratings G02B6/02104; multilayer core or cladding G02B6/036; reinforcing splice joints G02B6/2558; optical cables, i.e. comprising protective structures external to the protective coating such as a jacket or plural coated optical fibres G02B6/44; coating of glass to obtain optical fibres C03C25/104) · CPC title

• G02B6/02338 Primary

  Structured core, e.g. core contains more than one material, non-constant refractive index distribution in core, asymmetric or non-circular elements in core unit, multiple cores, insertions between core and clad · CPC title