Corning Incorporated
ILLUMINATION SYSTEMS FOR LIGHT DIFFUSING OPTICAL FIBERS

Abstract:

An illumination system (100) includes a light diffusing optical fiber (110) and a light output device (140) having a light source (142). The light diffusing optical fiber (110) includes a first end (112), a second end (114), a core (120), a cladding (122) surrounding the core (102), an outer surface (128), and a plurality of nano-sized structures (125) configured to scatter guided light through the outer surface (128). The light diffusing optical fiber (110) has a numerical aperture NA.sub.LDF. The light output device (140) has an effective numerical aperture NA.sub.0, which is less than the numerical aperture NA.sub.LDF of the light diffusing optical fiber (110). Further, the light output device (140) is optically coupled to an end face (116) of the first end (112) of the light diffusing optical fiber (110) such that light output by the light source of the light output device irradiates the end face (116) at an incident angle .theta..sub.i that is non-orthogonal to the end face (116) and is within approximately 5.degree. of sin.sup.-1 NA.sub.LDF-sin.sup.-1 NA.sub.0.