Optically uniform fiber, methods of making, and methods of inspecting

A method of manufacture of an optical fiber having no physical defects in the coating greater than 100 micrometers in size over a length of 30 meters or greater, comprising:

• providing an optical fiber;
• coating the optical fiber with a coating material in a coating system, wherein the coating system comprises one or more of:
• filtering the coating material to remove particles having an average diameter greater than 100 micrometers in size;
• reducing air leakage into the coating system to prevent air bubbles in the coating system having an average diameter of 100 micrometers or greater in size;
• aligning the fiber in the coating system so the coating thickness at a given point on the optical fiber is within ±5% of an average coating thickness value;
• and
• curing the coating material to a degree of surface cure of greater than 85%;
• and
• writing an optical device through the optically uniform coating by exposing the optical fiber to actinic radiation after curing the optically uniform coating, wherein the actinic radiation has a wavelength of 200 to 315 nanometers.