| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coated optical fiber that is free from scratches on the surface when, for example, bent inside a flexible protective tube and that contaminates no surrounding environment when the protective tube is broken, and also to provide a light guide and a light irradiation apparatus using this optical fiber. SOLUTION: The coated optical fiber 10 is composed of a core layer 12 that transmits light, a clad layer 14 that is installed on the outer circumference of the core layer, and a rugged layer 16 that is provided on the outer circumference of the clad layer. The rugged layer 16 is formed as a projected surface of SiO<SB>2</SB>and the like on the outer circumferential face of the clad layer 14. With the rugged layer 16 of the projected surface formed on the outer circumferential face of the clad layer 14, the coated optical fibers 10 are brought into point contact with each other by the projected surface of the rugged layer 16, when the light guide is structured by bundling more than one coated optical fiber 10. As a result, the outer circumferential faces of the clad layers 14 are prevented from coming into direct contact with each other, so that the surface the coated optical fibers 10 can be prevented from being scratched. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT |
