Method of cooling an optical fiber while it is being drawn

A method of cooling an optical fiber during drawing through contact with at least one cooling fluid in at least two cooling areas, said method comprising the steps of:

• in a fast one of said cooling areas, fast cooling the optical fiber, faster than cooling in surrounding air, from an initial temperature of the fiber
• lying in the range 2000° C. to 1500° C. for fibers based on silica glass,
• lying in the range 450° C. to 250° C. for fibers based on fluoride glass, and
• lying in the range 250° C. to 175° C. for fibers based on a polymer material, to a temperature at the end of the fast cooling
• lying in the range 1700° C. to 1200° C. for fibers based on silica glass,
• lying in the range 400° C. to 200° C. for fibers based on fluoride glass, and
• lying in the range 225° C. to 75° C. for fibers based on a polymer material, and then, in a slow one of said cooling areas, slow cooling, slower than cooling in the surrounding air, from a temperature of said fiber at the start of slow cooling
• lying in the range 1700° C. to 1000° C. for fibers based on silica glass,
• lying in the range 400° C. to 150° C. for fibers based on fluoride glass, and
• lying in the range 225° C. to 50° C. for fibers based on a polymer material, to a temperature of said fiber at the end of the slow cooling
• lying in the range 1500° C. to 700° C. for fibers based on silica glass,
• lying in the range 350° C. to 25° C. for fibers based on fluoride glass, and
• lying in the range 200° C. to 25° C. for fibers based on a polymer material.