Patent ID: 8805141
Filing Date: 2014-08-12
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An illumination system, comprising: at least one light source that generates light having at least one wavelength between 200 nm and 2000 nm; at least one low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber having an input end optically coupled to the at least one light source and having an output end, and configured to provide the light received by the at least one light source to the output end as guided light; and at least one light-diffusing optical fiber having a glass core, a cladding surrounding the core, and a plurality of nano-sized structures situated within said core or at a core-cladding boundary, and further including an outer surface, and an input end optically coupled to the output end of the at least one low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber, wherein the at least one light-diffusing optical fiber is configured to receive the guided light from the low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber and scatter the guided light via said nano-sized structures away from the glass core and through the outer surface such that the average scattering loss of the fiber is greater than 50 dB/km for said at least one wavelength, forming a light-source fiber portion having a length over which the scattered light is continuously emitted through the outer surface.