Patent ID: 6597834
Filing Date: 2003-07-22
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An optical fiber comprising a core which propagates light in its lengthwise direction, and a light extractor provided along the lengthwise direction of the core on at least a part of the peripheral surface of said core, wherein said light extractor comprises:a) a light-extracting diffusely reflective element and b) a light-extracting light-transmissive element which is provided on a part of the peripheral surface of said core through which a light beam, which as been reflected by said light-extracting diffusively reflective element, leaks outside the core, wherein the light-extracting light-transmissive element comprises a light-transmissive light-extracting film, the light-extracting film comprising: i) a light-transmissive substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface, and ii) a plurality of light-transmissive projections which are provided on the inner surface of the substrate, the projections being in contact with the peripheral surface of the core through so that a gap is maintained between the light-transmissive substrate and the peripheral surface of the core through which the reflected light beam leaks outside the core.