Title :
Laser cleaving of glass fibers and glass fiber arrays
Author :
Steenberge, Geert Van ; Geerinck, Peter ; Put, Steven Van ; Watté, Jan ; Ottevaere, Heidi ; Thienpont, Hugo ; Daele, Peter Van
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Inf. Technol., Ghent Univ., Gent, Belgium
Abstract :
An ultraviolet (UV)-excimer-laser-based cleaving procedure for silica fiber has been developed that enables automated cleaving for high-volume production of fiber-optic assemblies. A selective ablation of the glass in the form of a small rectangular cavity serves as a fracture initiator when the fiber is put under stress. The position of the UV-excimer-laser-induced scratch is very precise. The system provides high-quality cleaves on single-fiber and ribbon configurations. The end angle of the cleaved optical fiber is measured using a noncontact optical interferometer system and was 0.85° for perpendicular cleavages. Insertion loss after splicing is in the range of 0.03 dB, which is compatible with mechanical-cleaved fibers.
Keywords :
assembling; cutting; excimer lasers; fracture; glass fibres; laser ablation; light interferometry; optical arrays; optical fibre fabrication; optical fibre losses; optical fibre testing; optical glass; production control; silicon compounds; splicing; ultraviolet radiation effects; ultraviolet sources; cleaved optical fiber; excimer-laser based cleaving; fiber splicing; fiber stress; fiber-optic assemblies; fracture initiator; glass fiber arrays; glass fibers; high-quality cleaves; high-volume production; insertion loss; laser cleaving; laser-induced scratch; mechanical-cleaved fibers; noncontact optical interferometer system; optical fiber cutting; perpendicular cleavages; ribbon configuration; selective ablation; silica fiber; single-fiber configuration; small rectangular cavity; ultraviolet-laser based cleaving; Assembly; Fiber lasers; Glass; Laser ablation; Optical arrays; Optical fibers; Optical interferometry; Production; Silicon compounds; Stress; Cleaving; excimer laser; glass fiber; laser ablation;
Journal_Title :
Lightwave Technology, Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/JLT.2004.841258
