Light diffusing optical fibers having uniform illumination along diffusion lengths and methods of forming the same

A method for producing a light diffusing optical fiber comprising:

• drawing the light diffusing optical fiber from an optical fiber preform in a draw furnace along a draw pathway, wherein drawing the light diffusing optical fiber comprises:
• heating the optical fiber preform at a draw temperature within the draw furnace;
• and
• applying a draw tension to the light diffusing optical fiber such the light diffusing optical fiber comprises:
• a core;
• a cladding surrounding the core;
• an outer surface;
• and
• a plurality of scattering structures positioned within the core, the cladding, or both the core and the cladding, wherein the plurality of scattering structures are configured to scatter guided light towards the outer surface, such that light comprising a wavelength of from about 450 nm to about 560 nm diffusing through the outer surface along a diffusion length of the light diffusing optical fiber comprises a spectral attenuation percent relative range of about 15% or less and a correlated color temperature of from about 2700 K to about 8000 K.

A method comprising;

• drawing a first light diffusing optical fiber from an optical fiber preform in a draw furnace along a draw pathway at a first draw speed, wherein drawing the first light diffusing optical fiber comprises:
• heating the optical fiber preform at a first draw temperature within the draw furnace;
• and
• applying a first draw tension to the first light diffusing optical fiber such that the first light diffusing optical fiber comprises:
• a core;
• a cladding surrounding the core;
• an outer surface;
• and
• a plurality of gas-filled voids positioned within the core, the cladding, or both the core and the cladding, wherein the plurality of gas-filled voids comprise a first void volume fraction and a first average cross sectional size;
• directing light from a light source into the first light diffusing optical fiber such that a portion of the light diffuses through the outer surface of the first light diffusing optical fiber;
• measuring a spectral attenuation percent relative range of the light diffusing through the outer surface of the first light diffusing optical fiber;
• drawing a second light diffusing optical fiber from the optical fiber preform into the draw furnace along the draw pathway at a second draw speed, wherein drawing the second light diffusing optical fiber comprises:
• heating the optical fiber preform at a second draw temperature within the draw furnace;
• and
• applying a second draw tension to the second light diffusing optical fiber such that the second light diffusing optical fiber comprises:
• a core;
• a cladding surrounding the core;
• an outer surface;
• and
• a plurality of scattering structures positioned within the core, the cladding, or both the core and the cladding, wherein the plurality of scattering structures comprise a second void volume fraction and a second average cross sectional diameter and are configured to scatter guided light towards the outer surface, such that light comprising a wavelength of from about 450 nm to about 560 nm diffusing through the outer surface along a diffusion length of the second light diffusing optical fiber comprises a second spectral attenuation percent relative range that is about 15% or less and is less than the spectral attenuation percent relative range of the first light diffusing optical fiber.