Automated system and method for electroless plating of optical fibers

• US 6,187,378 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1998
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Doncsecz, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS, LAURA ESTELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/164,297
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 427/163.1, 427/431, 427/433, 427/169, 427/304, 427/305, 427/312, 427/163.2, 118/DIG.18, 118/429, 118/695, 118/503, 118/696, 118/420, 118/423, 118/DIG.19
• US Class Current: 427/163.2
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 25/1063 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 25/16 Dipping
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1632 Features specific for the apparatus, e.g. layout of cells and of its equipment, multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 118/18 Wire and cord die
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 118/19 Wire and cord immersion

Abstract

An automated system for electroless metallization of optical glass fibers, includes a plurality of spaced apart plating stations having different solutions for electroless metallization of optical fibers. A motor-driven fiber transport and dipping apparatus is used in the system for shuttling optical glass fibers to the plating stations and immersing the optical glass fibers in the solutions. A programmable controller directs the transport and dipping apparatus to the plating stations in a selected order and at selected time intervals, and directs the apparatus at each of the stations to immerse the fibers into the solutions at a selected entry rate, for a selected duration, and at a selected withdrawal rate.

Claims

1. A method of automated coating of optical fibers adapted for providing optical fibers having substantially consistent coatings thereon, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of plating stations, wherein each of the plurality of plating stations has a container with at least one solution therein to define a plurality of solutions;

aligning the optical fibers in a fiber aligning fixture so that the ends of the optical fibers extend substantially vertically therefrom;

positioning the fiber aligning fixture in a transport and dipping apparatus adapted for selectively moving the fiber aligning fixture horizontally and vertically, wherein the transport and dipping apparatus is coupled to a programmable controller for directing the movement of the transport and dipping apparatus;

activating the programmable controller to cause the transport and dipping apparatus to move horizontally so that the fiber aligning fixture is disposed above one of the plurality of plating stations and to move vertically so that the fiber aligning fixture is disposed with the ends of the optical fibers dipped into the container of the one of the plurality of plating stations, and wherein the programmable controller directs the transport and dipping apparatus to the plurality of plating stations in a selected order and at selected time intervals and directs the apparatus at each of the stations to immerse the ends of the optical fibers into the solutions at a selected entry rate, for a selected duration, and at a selected withdrawal rate to substantially consistently coat the optical fibers.

2. An automated system adapted for electroless metallization of optical fibers each having at least one end, the system comprising:

a plurality of spaced apart plating stations, each of the plating stations having at least one solution to define a plurality of solutions adapted for electroless metallization of optical fibers;

a motor-driven fiber transport and dipping apparatus including a removable fiber holding fixture having a fiber aligning fixture for aligning the optical fibers in the fiber holding fixture so that the ends of the optical fibers extend therefrom a selected distance, wherein the transport and dipping apparatus is adapted for shuttling optical fibers to the plating stations and immersing the optical fibers in the plurality of solutions; and

a programmable controller for directing the transport and dipping apparatus to the plating stations in a selected order and at selected time intervals, and directing the apparatus at each of the stations to immerse the optical fibers into the plurality of solutions at a selected entry rate, for a selected duration, and at a selected withdrawal rate.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the fiber holding fixture comprises a protective housing that substantially encloses the fibers, allowing only the ends of the fibers to extend therefrom a selected distance for immersing in the solutions.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the plating stations has at least one solution comprising a preactivator for preparing the surface of the fibers for metallizing.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of plating stations has at least one solution comprising a sensitizer for depositing about a monolayer thick coating of metal on the surface of the fibers.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of plating stations has at least one solution comprising a rinse.

7. The system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of plating stations has at least one solution comprising an activator for preparing a metal layer plated on the fibers for plating with at least one additional metal.

8. The system according to claim 2 comprising at least four plating stations to define a first, second, third and fourth plating station, wherein;

the first plating station has a solution comprising at least one sensitizer for depositing layer of metal;

the second plating station has a solution comprising a first rinse for removing excess sensitizer;

the third plating station has a solution comprising an activator for preparing the metal layer for plating with at least one additional metal; and

the fourth plating station has a solution comprising a second rinse for removing excess activator from the base metal.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the activator also functions as a preactivator adapted for preparing the surface of the fibers for plating.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the plating stations are selectively arranged in an inline manner so that the first and second rinse solutions are located between the sensitizer and preactivator/activator solutions.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein the sensitizer and first rinse solutions are held in containers which have motor-driven removable covers that are actuated by the programmable controller.

12. The system according to claim 2, wherein the plating stations and the transport and dipping apparatus are sealed in an enclosure that contains a nitrogen atmosphere.

13. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of magnetic stirrers for stirring the solutions during metallizing.

14. The system according to claim 2, wherein the transport and dipping apparatus includes a motor-driven horizontal translation table and a motor-driven vertical translation table, the vertical table for immersing the fibers in the solutions and the horizontal table for moving the vertical table to the plating stations.

15. An automated system adapted for consistently coating optical fibers, each of the optical fibers having at least one end, the system comprising:

a plurality of spaced apart plating stations, each of the plating stations having at least one solution to define a plurality of solutions adapted for coating the optical fibers;

a fiber transport and dipping apparatus including a fiber aligning fixture for aligning the optical fibers so that the ends of the optical fibers extend substantially vertically from the transport and dipping apparatus a selected distance, wherein the transport and dipping apparatus is adapted for shuttling the optical fibers to the plating stations and immersing the optical fibers into the plurality of solutions; and

a programmable controller for directing the transport and dipping apparatus to the plating stations in a selected order and at selected time intervals and for directing the apparatus at each of the stations to immerse the optical fibers into the plurality of solutions at a selected entry rate, for a selected duration, and at a selected withdrawal rate, so that each one of the optical fibers in the fiber aligning fixture are coated substantially consistently to each other of the plurality of optical fibers.

16. The system of claim 15 in which the plurality of solutions include a sensitizer solution, a preactivator and activator solution, and a coating solution.

17. The system of claim 16 in which the preactivator and activator solution comprises a solution of palladium.

18. The system of claim 15 in which the plating stations are housed in an enclosure having a nitrogen atmosphere.