An optical fibre core (39) having a reflective coating (33) along a first
part of its length such that electromagnetic radiation may travel along
the first part of the optical fibre by means of reflection, and further
having a cladding (37) along a second part of its length, the cladding
having a refractive index suitable for permitting the electromagnetic
radiation to travel along the second part of the optical fibre. The
invention also provides a fibre optic coupling arrangement for coupling a
light pipe to a clad optical fibre, the coupling arrangement comprising a
light pipe comprising an optical fibre core having a reflective coating
and a clad optical fibre comprising an optical fibre core with cladding
surrounding the core, the optical fibre core of the light pipe being
optically joined to the optical fibre core of the clad optical fibre such
that electromagnetic radiation is able to travel from the light pipe to
the clad optical fibre, wherein tapered cladding is provided in the
region where the light pipe is optically joined to the clad optical
fibre.