OPTICAL FIBERS WITHOUT CLADDING

摘要

In some examples, an optical fiber may include a clad portion and an exposed fiber core that extends from the clad portion. Multiple such optical fibers may be included in a fiber bundle having a condensed region of fiber cores spaced at a first center-to-center spacing and a non-condensed region of clad portions spaced at a second center-to-center spacing greater than the first center-to-center spacing. Such optical fibers may be formed with exposed fiber cores ab initio.

主权项

1. A fiber bundle comprising:
a first optical fiber that has a first clad portion and a first exposed fiber core that extends from the first clad portion, wherein the first exposed fiber core is devoid of cladding; one or more second optical fibers that each have a second clad portion and a second exposed fiber core that extends from the second clad portion, wherein each second clad portion is arranged substantially parallel to the first clad portion and wherein each second exposed fiber core is devoid of cladding; a condensed region in which a first distal end of the first exposed fiber core is arranged substantially parallel to a second distal end of each second exposed fiber core, wherein adjacent distal ends in the condensed region have a first center-to-center spacing; and a non-condensed region that includes the first clad portion and the one or more second clad portions, wherein adjacent clad portions in the non-condensed region have a second center-to-center spacing that is greater than the first center-to-center spacing.