Title:
USE OF A LASER TO FUSION-SPLICE OPTICAL COMPONENTS OF SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT CROSS-SECTIONAL AREAS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2001038913
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
A method is provided for fusion-splicing with a laser beam (10) at least two optical components (14a, 14b) to a different optical component (16), the different optical component (e.g., an optical element (16) such as a lens) having a surface that has a comparatively larger cross-sectional area than a surface of the other optical components (e.g., at least two optical fibers (14a, 14b)). The method comprises: a) aligning the optical components (14a, 14b, 16) along an axis; b) turning on a directional laser heat source to form the laser beam (10); c) directing the laser beam (10) to be collinear with those optical components (14a, 14b) having a smaller cross-sectional area; d) ensuring that the laser beam (10) strikes the surface of the optical component (16) having the larger cross-sectional area at normal or near normal incidence so that absorption of the laser beam (10) is much more efficient on the surface; e) adjusting the power level of the laser beam (10) to reach a temperature equal to or higher than the softening temperature of the surface of the optical component (16) having the larger cross-sectional area to form a softening region thereon, thereby achieving the fusion-splicing; and f) turning off the laser.
Inventors:
WALTERS WILLIAM P
FITCH MARK A
FOURNIER PAUL
HARRIS MARC FARRELL
BERNARD PIERRE
FITCH MARK A
FOURNIER PAUL
HARRIS MARC FARRELL
BERNARD PIERRE
Application Number:
PCT/US2000/032347
Publication Date:
March 07, 2002
Filing Date:
November 27, 2000
Export Citation:
Assignee:
LIGHTPATH TECH INC (US)
International Classes:
G02B6/24; G02B6/255; G02B6/26; G02B6/32; G02B6/42; (IPC1-7): G02B6/255; B23K26/00
Foreign References:
| EP0576266A2 | 1993-12-29 | |||
| EP0462893A1 | 1991-12-27 |
Download PDF: