Abstract: A method for removing a protective coating material from a portion of an optical fiber including a glass optical fiber having an outer surface surrounded by said protective coating material, said method comprising the steps of: (i) providing a fiber collection and support device having: (a) a coarse conical fiber collector having an input port and (b) a fine fiber centering collector including a fiber tube having an output port, said input port is larger then said output port; (ii) providing the fiber threaded through the course conical collector into the fiber collection tube of the fine fiber centering collector; (iii) contacting the fiber, as it exits from the output port of the fiber collection tube of the fiber collection and support device, with a stream of hot gas; and (iv) directing a stream of a hot gas onto the protective coating material that is to be removed.

Abstract: A method for removing a protective coating material from a portion of an optical fiber, said optical fiber including a glass optical fiber having an outer surface surrounded by said protective coating material, said method comprising the steps of: (i) providing a fiber collection and support device having: (a) a coarse conical fiber collector having an input port and (b) a fine fiber centering collector including a fiber tube having an output port, wherein said input port is larger then said output port; (ii) threading the fiber through the course conical collector and providing the fiber from the course conical collector into the fiber collection tube of the fine fiber centering collector; (iii) contacting the fiber, as it exits from the output port of the fiber collection tube of the fiber collection and support device, with a stream of hot gas; and (iv) directing a stream of a hot gas onto the protective coating material that is to be removed, the temperature of said hot gas being sufficiently high to soft

Abstract: An optical fiber, and a method of making such optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber exhibits a beatlength greater than about 0.5 meters, and the fiber is spun to provide a polarization mode dispersion in the spun state of said fiber which is less than 0.05 ps/km1/2. The fiber is spun by employing a spin having a spin repeat distance of at least 1 meter and a plurality of varying spin reversal distances occurring within the spin repeat distance. The spin preferably alternates between clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

Abstract: An optical fiber, and a method of making such optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber exhibits a beatlength greater than about 5 meters, and the fiber is spun to provide a polarization mode dispersion in the spun state of said fiber which is less than 0.05 ps/km1/2. The fiber is spun by employing a spin having a spin repeat distance of at least 10 meters. The spin preferably alternates between clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

Abstract: An optical fiber, and a method of making such optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber exhibits a beatlength greater than about 0.5 meters, and the fiber is spun to provide a polarization mode dispersion in the spun state of said fiber which is less than 0.05 ps/km1/2. The fiber is spun by employing a spin having a spin repeat distance of at least 1 meter and a plurality of varying spin reversal distances occurring within the spin repeat distance. The spin preferably alternates between clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

Abstract: An optical fiber, and a method of making such optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber exhibits a beatlength greater than about 5 meters, and the fiber is spun to provide a polarization mode dispersion in the spun state of said fiber which is less than 0.05 ps/km1/2. The fiber is spun by employing a spin having a spin repeat distance of at least 10 meters. The spin preferably alternates between clockwise and counterclockwise directions.