Fiber Painting
Fiber Measurements
The paint thickness on the fibers should be between 10 and 20 microns. It takes practice to achieve a consistently good layer, as the measurements from several tests show.
Fiber Pictures
Procedure for Painting
Wear gloves and hold the fiber in one hand while spraying on the paint with the other. It is best to paint while sitting down at the painting table rather than holding the fiber and brush at waist level. If your eyes are lined up with the paintbrush you will be able to see where the paint stream is going. Spray a little, then pause and look at the fiber. If it appears speckled with clear points (when painting a waveguide), or green points (when painting a scintillating fiber), it needs more paint. If the paint layer is covering the intended area, it still may be too thin. If you can see through it too much, it needs more paint. The paint does not have to be completely opaque, but you should have to look hard to see anything other than white.
The distance of the brush from the fiber during painting is important. Holding the brush too close to the fiber causes the paint to bead up along the edges and be too thick there. Four inches from the fiber is a good distance for spraying the paint.
To paint a long fiber, paint one short section at a time, starting at one end and working your way to the other.