Patent ID: 7437046
Filing Date: 2008-10-14
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical fiber configured to facilitate the removal of stray light, the optical fiber comprising a core region for substantially confining and propagating an optical signal; an inner cladding layer surround said core region, said inner cladding layer exhibiting a refractive index less than the core region refractive index; an outer cladding layer surrounding said inner cladding layer, said outer cladding layer exhibiting a refractive index less than the refractive index of said inner cladding so as to capture stray light propagating along said inner cladding layer, and having a thickness substantially less than the inner cladding to controllably dissipate captured stray light away from the optical fiber; and an outer coating surround said outer cladding layer and having a refractive index greater than the inner cladding layer refractive index, wherein the stray light captured by the outer cladding will gradually tunnel into the outer coating over an extended length thereof, reducing localized heating of said outer coating by the stray light.