In-Fiber Filament Production

Abstract

In a fiber there is provided a fiber matrix material having a fiber length. A circumferential array of in-fiber filaments extend the fiber length. Each filament in the array is separated from other filaments in the array by the fiber matrix material. The filaments in the array are regularly spaced around a circumference at a radius in a cross section of the fiber.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A fiber comprising:
 a fiber matrix material having a fiber length;   a circumferential array of in-fiber filaments extending the fiber length, each filament in the array being separated from other filaments in the array by the fiber matrix material and the filaments in the array being regularly spaced around a circumference at a radius in a cross-section of the fiber.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber of  claim 1  wherein the fiber matrix material comprises a polymeric insulating material. 
     
     
         3 . The fiber of  claim 2  wherein the polymeric insulating material comprises a high glass-transition-temperature material. 
     
     
         4 . The fiber of  claim 3  wherein the polymeric insulating material is selected from the group consisting of poly-sulfone, poly-ether sulfone, and poly-methyl methacrylate. 
     
     
         5 . The fiber of  claim 1  wherein the in-fiber filaments comprise a metal. 
     
     
         6 . The fiber of  claim 5  wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Sn and Bi. 
     
     
         7 . The fiber of  claim 1  wherein the in-fiber filaments comprise a semiconducting material. 
     
     
         8 . The fiber of  claim 7  wherein the semiconducting material comprises a chalcogenide glass material. 
     
     
         9 . The fiber of  claim 7  wherein the semiconducting material is selected from the group consisting of Se, As 2 Se 3 , and (As 40 Se 60 ) 1-x Sn x . 
     
     
         10 . The fiber of  claim 7  wherein the semiconductor material comprises a glassy inorganic semiconducting material. 
     
     
         11 . The fiber of  claim 7  wherein the semiconducting material has a glass transition temperature. 
     
     
         12 . The fiber of  claim 1  wherein the in-fiber filaments each have a morphology consisting of one of polycrystalline and monocrystalline morphology. 
     
     
         13 . The fiber of  claim 1  wherein the in-fiber filaments are consist of one of ribbon-like filaments and circular filaments. 
     
     
         14 . The fiber of  claim 1  wherein the in-fiber filaments are semiconducting; and further comprising at least one metallic in-fiber element extending the fiber length. 
     
     
         15 . The fiber of  claim 1  wherein the in-fiber filaments are semiconducting; and further comprising at least one non-filament semiconducting fiber element extending the fiber length. 
     
     
         16 . The fiber of  claim 1  wherein the in-fiber filaments are metallic; and further comprising at least one non-filament semiconducting fiber element extending the fiber length. 
     
     
         17 . A fiber comprising:
 a fiber matrix material having a fiber length; and   a plurality of isolated fiber elements that are disposed in the fiber matrix, extending the fiber length, the plurality being a number greater than a number of isolated domains in a drawing preform of the fiber.   
     
     
         18 . The fiber of  claim 17  wherein the isolated fiber elements comprise in-fiber filaments selected from semiconducting filaments and metallic filaments. 
     
     
         19 . A fiber drawing preform comprising:
 a fiber matrix material; and   a continuous layer of filament material disposed with the fiber matrix material in a preform assembly geometry corresponding to a drawn fiber arrangement of the fiber matrix material and an array of isolated in-fiber filaments of the filament material.   
     
     
         20 . A fiber drawing preform comprising:
 a fiber matrix material; and   a filament material layer having first and second faces and arranged with the fiber matrix material adjacent to each of the first and second faces in a preform assembly, the filament material layer being characterized by a thickness and a viscosity that enforce breakup of the filament material layer into an array of in-fiber filaments during drawing of the preform assembly into a fiber of the matrix material and the filament material.