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Fusion splicing
 
 
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Fusion splicing is the act of joining two optical fiber
Optical fiber

An optical fiber is a glass or plastic fiber that carries light along its length. Fiber optics is the overlap of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibers....
s end-to-end using heat. The goal is to fuse the two fibers together in such a way that light passing through the fibers is not scattered
Scattering

Scattering is a general physical process where some forms of radiation, such as light, sound, or moving particles,are forced to deviate from a straight trajectory by one or more localized non-uniformities in the medium through which they pass....
 or reflected
Reflection (physics)

Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an wiktionary:interface between two differentmedium so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated....
 back by the splice, and so that the splice and the region surrounding it are almost as strong as the virgin fiber itself. The source of heat is usually an electric arc
Electric arc

An electric arc is an electrical breakdown of a gas which produces an ongoing Plasma Electrostatic discharge, resulting from a current flowing through normally Electrical conductance media such as air....
, but can also be a laser, or a gas flame, or a tungsten filament through which current
Electric current

Electric current is the flow of electric charge. The electric charge may be either electrons or ions.The International System of Units unit of electric current intensity is the ampere....
 is passed.

The process of fusion splicing involves using localized heat to melt or fuse the ends of two optical fibers together.






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Encyclopedia


Fusion splicing is the act of joining two optical fiber
Optical fiber

An optical fiber is a glass or plastic fiber that carries light along its length. Fiber optics is the overlap of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibers....
s end-to-end using heat. The goal is to fuse the two fibers together in such a way that light passing through the fibers is not scattered
Scattering

Scattering is a general physical process where some forms of radiation, such as light, sound, or moving particles,are forced to deviate from a straight trajectory by one or more localized non-uniformities in the medium through which they pass....
 or reflected
Reflection (physics)

Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an wiktionary:interface between two differentmedium so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated....
 back by the splice, and so that the splice and the region surrounding it are almost as strong as the virgin fiber itself. The source of heat is usually an electric arc
Electric arc

An electric arc is an electrical breakdown of a gas which produces an ongoing Plasma Electrostatic discharge, resulting from a current flowing through normally Electrical conductance media such as air....
, but can also be a laser, or a gas flame, or a tungsten filament through which current
Electric current

Electric current is the flow of electric charge. The electric charge may be either electrons or ions.The International System of Units unit of electric current intensity is the ampere....
 is passed.

The process of fusion splicing involves using localized heat to melt or fuse the ends of two optical fibers together. The splicing process begins by preparing each fiber end for fusion. Fusion splicing requires that all protective coatings be removed from the ends of each fiber. The fiber is then cleaved
Cleave (fiber)

A cleave in an optical fiber is a deliberate, controlled break, intended to create a perfectly flat endface, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fiber....
 using the score-and-break method so that its endface is perfectly flat and perpendicular to the axis of the fiber. The quality of each fiber end is inspected using a microscope. In fusion splicing, splice loss is a direct function of the angles and quality of the two fiber-end faces. The two endfaces of the fibers are aligned, then are fused together. The bare fiber area is protected either by recoating or with a splice protector. It is often desirable to perform a proof-test to ensure that the splice is strong enough to survive handling, packaging and extended use.

The basic fusion splicing apparatus consists of two fixtures on which the fibers are mounted and two electrodes. inspection microscope assists in the placement of the prepared fiber ends into a fusion-splicing apparatus. The fibers are placed into the apparatus, aligned, and then fused together. Initially, fusion splicing used nichrome wire as the heating element to melt or fuse fibers together. New fusion-splicing techniques have replaced the nichrome wire with carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers, electric arcs, or gas flames to heat the fiber ends, causing them to fuse together. The small size of the fusion splice and the development of automated fusion-splicing machines have made electric arc fusion (arc fusion) one of the most popular splicing techniques in commercial applications.

Alternatives to fusion splicing include using optical fiber connector
Optical fiber connector

An optical fiber connector terminates the end of an optical fiber, and enables quicker connection and disconnection than mechanical splice. The connectors mechanically couple and align the cores of fibers so that light can pass....
s or mechanical splice
Mechanical splice

A mechanical splice is a junction of two or more optical fibers that are aligned and held in place by a self-contained assembly . The fibers aren't permanently joined, just precisely held together so that light can pass from one to another....
s both of which have higher insertion loss
Insertion loss

In telecommunications, insertion loss is the loss of Signalling power resulting from the insertion of a device in a transmission line or optical fiber....
es, lower reliability and higher return loss
Return loss

In telecommunications, Return loss or Reflection loss is the reflection of Signalling power resulting from the insertion of a device in a transmission line or optical fiber....
es than fusion splicing.

See also

  • Termination and splicing
    Optical fiber

    An optical fiber is a glass or plastic fiber that carries light along its length. Fiber optics is the overlap of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibers....
    .


Further reading

  • Introduction to Fiber Optics by John Crisp