A method for cylindrical processing of an optical medium, including optical fiber
and optical materials of substantially cylindrical form. The method of the preferred
embodiments includes the steps of rotating an optical medium about a longitudinal
relative rotation axis thereof relative to a processing tool; spatially selectively
applying the processing tool to a portion of a surface of the optical medium in
operative cooperation with relative rotation of the optical medium and the processing
tool, thereby producing a patterned (i.e., spatially selective) structural alteration
of the optical medium, the pattern including altered, differentially-altered and
unaltered portions of the optical medium. Specialized techniques for spatially
selectively generating the structural alteration may include masking/etching, masking/deposition,
machining or patterning with lasers or beams, combinations thereof, and/or functional
equivalents thereof.
