Optical fiber illumination systems and methods

A light diffusing optical fiber comprising:

• a glass core, a cladding, and a plurality of nano-sized voids situated within said core or at a core-cladding boundary, said optical fiber further including an outer surface and is configured to (i) scatter guided light via said nano-sized voids away from the core and through the outer surface, (ii) have a scattering-induced attenuation greater than 50 dB/km at illumination wavelength;
• and
• said fiber including at least one coating such that either said cladding or said at least one coating includes phosphor or pigments.

A light diffusing optical fiber comprising:

• a glass core, a cladding, and a plurality of nano-sized voids situated within said core, said optical fiber further including an outer surface and is configured to (i) scatter guided light via said nano-sized voids away from the core and through the outer surface, (ii) have a scattering-induced attenuation greater than 50 dB/km at illumination wavelength;
• and wherein the entire core includes nano-sized voids.

A light diffusing optical fiber comprising:

• a glass core, and a plurality of nano-sized voids situated within said core such that the entire core includes nano-sized voids, said optical fiber further including an outer surface and is configured to (i) scatter guided light via said nano-sized voids away from the core and through the outer surface, (ii) have a scattering-induced attenuation greater than 50 dB/km at illumination wavelength wherein said fiber does not include cladding.

A light diffusing optical fiber comprising:

• a glass core, and a plurality of nano-sized voids situated within said core, said optical fiber further including an outer surface and is configured to (i) scatter guided light via said nano-sized voids away from the core and through the outer surface, (ii) have a scattering-induced attenuation greater than 50 dB/km at illumination wavelength.

A light diffusing optical fiber comprising:

• a glass core, and a plurality of nano-sized structures situated within said core, said optical fiber further including an outer surface and is configured to (i) scatter guided light via said nano-sized structures away from the core and through the outer surface, (ii) have a scattering-induced attenuation greater than 50 dB/km at illumination wavelength, wherein a cross-sectional size of the nano-sized structures is in the range from about 10 nm to about 1 μm and a length of the nano-sized structures is in the range from 1 mm to 50 m.

A light diffusing optical fiber comprising:

• a glass core, and a plurality of nano-sized structures situated within said core, said optical fiber further including an outer surface and is configured to (i) scatter guided light via said nano-sized structures away from the core and through the outer surface, (ii) have a scattering-induced attenuation greater than 50 dB/km at illumination wavelength, said optical fiber having length, wherein a scattering loss of the fiber does not vary more than 30% over the fiber length.

A light diffusing optical fiber comprising:

• a glass core, and a plurality of nano-sized structures situated within said core, said optical fiber further including an outer surface and is configured to (i) scatter guided light via said nano-sized structures away from the core and through the outer surface, (ii) have a scattering-induced attenuation greater than 50 dB/km at illumination wavelength, said optical fiber including a segment having length, wherein a scattering loss of the fiber does not vary more than 30% over the segment length.

A light diffusing optical fiber comprising:

• a glass core, and a plurality of nano-sized structures situated within said core, said optical fiber further including an outer surface and is configured to (i) scatter guided light via said nano-sized structures away from the core and through the outer surface, (ii) have a scattering-induced attenuation greater than 50 dB/km at illumination wavelength, wherein the fiber emits light having a substantially uniform angular distribution relative to an axis of the fiber.

A light diffusing optical fiber comprising a glass core and an outer surface, wherein the core comprises:

• a nano-structured glass region including a plurality of nano-sized structures configured to scatter guided light via the nano-sized structures away from the core and through the outer surface, such that the light diffusing optical fiber has a scattering-induced attenuation greater than 50 dB/km at an illumination wavelength;
• and
• an outer solid glass region surrounding the nano-structured region.