UV-C wavelength side-emitting optical fibers

Abstract

A coated optical fiber includes an optical fiber having a core and an outer surface, and a homogeneous polymer coating in contact with the outer surface of the optical fiber. The optical fiber and the homogeneous polymer coating are UV transparent, and a refractive index of the outer surface of the optical fiber or the homogeneous polymer coating is up to 15% less than a refractive index of the core. Coating the optical fiber includes coating an outer surface with a polymerizable material and polymerizing the polymerizerable material to yield the coated optical fiber having a homogeneous polymer coating. The optical fiber and the homogeneous polymer coating are UV transparent, and a refractive index of the outer surface of the optical fiber or the homogeneous polymer coating is up to 15% less than a refractive index of a core of the optical fiber.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.