Light-based optical fiber heaters using hollow light pipes

A method of processing an optical fiber, the method comprising:

• drawing an optical fiber along a fiber pathway through a hollow light pipe, wherein:
• the hollow light pipe comprises a first end having an opening with a radius Rp, a second end and a pipe body comprising a chamber extending from the first end to the second end, the fiber pathway extending through the opening of the first end, wherein the fiber pathway is laterally offset from a central axis of the pipe body by a distance in a range of from 20% to 80% a radius Rp of the opening of the first end;
• and
• a reflective coating is disposed on the pipe body, the reflective coating comprising a reflectivity of 95% or greater of a light;
• and
• directing the light from a directed light source into the hollow light pipe through the opening of the first end such that the light is reflected by the reflective coating while propagating in the hollow light pipe, the optical fiber absorbing the light reflected by the reflective coating, wherein the light enters the opening of the first end of the hollow light pipe at an input angle in a range of from 10° to 70° with respect to the fiber pathway with a 1/e2 diameter that is less than or equal to the radius Rp of the opening of the first end, and
• wherein the light is polarized and enters the opening of the first end of the hollow light pipe such that Fresnel reflection losses are minimized.

A system for processing an optical fiber, the system comprising:

• an optical draw tower comprising a fiber pathway, wherein the optical draw tower is configured to draw an optical fiber along the fiber pathway;
• a first hollow light pipe and a second hollow light pipe positioned along the optical draw tower, each hollow light pipe comprising a first end having an opening with a radius Rp, a second end, and a pipe body comprising a chamber extending from the first end to the second end, wherein a reflective coating is disposed on the pipe body of each hollow light pipe and the fiber pathway extends through each hollow light pipe from the first end to the second end;
• a first directed light source optically coupled to the first end of the first hollow light pipe, wherein light output by the first directed light source comprises first polarized light, the first polarized light entering the opening of the first end of the first hollow light pipe such that Fresnel reflection losses are minimized;
• and
• a second directed light source optically coupled to the first end of the second hollow light pipe, wherein light output by the second directed light source comprises second polarized light, the second polarized light entering the opening of the first end of the second hollow light pipe such that Fresnel reflection losses are minimized.