Corning Incorporated
Metallized mirror coatings for light diffusing optical fibers and methods of manufacturing the same

Abstract:

A method of forming a metallized mirror coating on a light diffusing optical fiber (110) includes contacting an end face (118) of a second end (114) of a light diffusing optical fiber (110) with a metallized mirror precursor. The light diffusing optical fiber (110) includes a first end (112) opposite the second end (114), a core (120), a polymer cladding (122) surrounding the core (120) and coplanar with the core at the end face (118) of the second end (114), an outer surface (128), and a plurality of scattering structures (125) positioned within the core (120), the polymer cladding (122), or both, that are configured to scatter guided light toward the outer surface (128) of the light diffusing optical fiber (110). The method also includes heating the metallized mirror precursor such that the metallized mirror precursor bonds to the core (120) and the polymer cladding (122) at the end face (118) of the second end (114) thereby forming a metallized mirror coating on the end face (118) of the second end (114).