Automated fusion-splicing of polarization maintaining fibers

Author

Zheng, Wenxin

Author_Institution

Network Products Div., Ericsson Cables AB, Sundbyberg, Sweden

Volume

15

Issue

1

fYear

1997

fDate

1/1/1997 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

125

Lastpage

134

Abstract

An advanced splicing technique for polarization maintaining (PM) fibers has been derived based on the polarization observation by lens-effect-tracing (POL) method. With this technique, azimuthal alignment on common types of PM fibers can be automatically performed in a passive way by an automated fusion splicer. Because the method permits an accurate estimation of the splice´s extinction ratio before and after actual splicing, the quality of the splice call be estimated without having to make an active measurement. The experiment results illustrated in the paper show a mean extinction ratio 32.2 with 2.73 dB standard deviation and mean difference between measured and estimated extinction ratio 0.18 dB, respectively, for six different types of PM fibers

Keywords

optical fibre fabrication; optical fibre polarisation; PM fibers; active measurement; actual splicing; advanced splicing technique; automated fusion splicer; automated fusion-splicing; azimuthal alignment; estimated extinction ratio; extinction ratio; lens-effect-tracing method; mean difference; mean extinction ratio; polarization maintaining fibers; polarization observation; standard deviation; Birefringence; Extinction ratio; Optical fiber communication; Optical fiber polarization; Optical fiber sensors; Optical fibers; Optical interferometry; Optical sensors; Splicing; Stress;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.552120

Filename

552120