Polymer Optical Fibers

Textile-integrated polymer optical fibers for healthcare and medical applications

“…Currently, the leading production method for step-index fibers is extrusion (bicomponent melt spinning) [50]. In this method, a cladding polymer and a core polymer are fed from separate extruders and proceed into a coextrusion die to form a concentric corecladding structure [31,51,52]. Since extrusion enables a continuous, high line speed, and converts raw materials directly into optical fibers, markedly high production volume and productivity are achievable [53].…”

“…Step-index polymers can also be manufactured by preform drawing, in which a cylindrical polymer in core/cladding structure with a diameter larger than the intended product, called a preform, is fed into a drawing machine, and the thermally softened preform is drawn until the desired fiber diameter is obtained (figure 3) [50,54]. Optical fiber preforms required in this method are usually prepared by extrusion [51], but advanced techniques such as 3D printing [51,55] have also been investigated as an alternative route.…”

“…Another manufacturing method of graded-index fibers is preform drawing, in which a graded-index preform softened by heat is drawn until the desirable diameter is resulted [51]. Graded-index preforms are generally produced by diffusion, interfacial-gel polymerization or photopolymerization techniques, but 3D printing has also been suggested as an auspicious approach.…”

Glass: The carrier of light—Part II—A brief look into the future of optical fiber

“…For the benefit of those readers new to the history of fiber materials development, some thorough reviews are Refs. 6,50‐55, including the references provided therein.…”

Fabrication and Application of Polymer Optical Fiber Grating Devices

“…It has attractive characteristics such as low Young's modulus, high strain, high flexibility, and biocompatibility performance compared with silica optical fiber. The first commercially polymer optical fiber with deuterated polymer was reported in the early 1960s [1]. From the 1950s, optical fibers are under research due to the demand of transmission high-speed data.…”