Benefits of CO2 laser heating for high reliability fiber splicing

Douglas M. Duke; Usman Nasir; Elli Saravanos

doi:10.1117/12.2212754

14 March 2016 Benefits of CO₂ laser heating for high reliability fiber splicing

Douglas M. Duke, Usman Nasir, Elli Saravanos

Proceedings Volume 9735, Laser Applications in Microelectronic and Optoelectronic Manufacturing (LAMOM) XXI; 97351B (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2212754
Event: SPIE LASE, 2016, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

The use of a CO₂ laser as a heat source became commercially available for optical fiber splicing and component fabrication only in recent years. In addition to long-term trouble-free and low-maintenance heat source operation, laser fusion splicing offers unique benefits for fabricating high-power optical components, as well as for splice reliability. When used as the heating method for fiber splicing, the energy of the CO₂ laser beam is efficiently absorbed by the outer layer of the glass, and is then conducted inwards. This heating method is well controlled, and results in a smooth and contamination-free glass surface. Other heating methods, such as arc fusion or resistive heating, may leave tungsten, graphite, or metal oxide deposits on the spliced fiber surface. By contrast, with CO₂ laser splicing, the lack of surface irregularities and contamination enables remarkable spliced-fiber strength results, with some strength results nearly within the range of coated fiber breaking strength.

Citation Download Citation

Douglas M. Duke, Usman Nasir, and Elli Saravanos "Benefits of CO₂ laser heating for high reliability fiber splicing", Proc. SPIE 9735, Laser Applications in Microelectronic and Optoelectronic Manufacturing (LAMOM) XXI, 97351B (14 March 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2212754

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