Low profile system for joining optical fiber waveguides
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Abstract
A compact, low profile splicing system for joining optical fibers produces durable, low transmission loss fusion splices. The system employs active optical techniques such as profile alignment or local injection and detection to achieve optimized alignment of the fibers prior to fusion. Light injected into one fiber is propagated across the interface to a second fiber. A detector senses the intensity of the injected light in the second fiber. After the relative position of the fibers is manipulated to maximize the transmitted intensity, the fibers are fusion spliced using an electric arc discharge. The accurate alignment achievable using the local injection and detection system to drive adaptive fiber positioning affords a method for reliably producing low loss splices. The present system is compact and low in profile, making it operable in cramped quarters with limited clearance to adjacent equipment and structures and with only a minimal amount of free fiber slack available. Simplicity of design and operation make the system rugged and enable accurate alignment and low loss fusion of fibers under adverse working conditions.
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Citations
43 Claims
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31. A method for joining a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber along a common fiber axis, the method comprising:
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a) providing a low profile fusion splicing system, the system comprising;
(i) a low profile fusion splicing head having a fusion splicing stage including a clamping and fiber position adjustment system comprising holding means for holding said fibers substantially in a horizontal plane and motion means for moving said fibers in three orthogonal dimensions into coaxial, abutting alignment;
an imaging optical system having a fiber imaging illuminator and a fiber image detector, said imaging optical system being adapted to acquire optical images of said fibers in a first imaging direction and a second imaging direction, said imaging directions being non-coincident; and
an electric arc welding system;
(ii) a user interface having an output display and user input controls for activating the splicing system;
(iii) electronic control circuitry having imaging electronics that receive the output of said fiber image detector and produce a display signal feeding said output display; and
fusion control electronics operably connected to activate said electric arc welding system and supply high voltage thereto;
b) preparing said first and second optical fibers by removing coatings present thereon and cleaving the ends of the fibers to form a mating end on each fiber;
c) arranging said first and second optical fibers in said holding means with said mating ends in facing relationship;
d) imaging said fibers prior to said joining;
e) positioning said optical fibers into coaxial, abutting alignment; and
f) fusing said fibers by electric arc welding. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification