JP2001221921A - Optical fiber end face treatment method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide an end processing method of an optical fiber which can easily form an end surface of an optical fiber into a perfect mirror surface without requiring skill. SOLUTION: As shown in FIG. 1A, an optical fiber 14 is inserted into a center hole 1201 of a predome ferrule 12 so that an end 1401 of the optical fiber 14 protrudes from an end face 1202 of the predome ferrule 12. Fix it.
Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, a rough finish process is performed by polishing, and the end face 140 of the rough finished optical fiber 14 is formed.
Get 2. Next, as shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D, the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 is instantaneously heated and melted using the CO ₂ laser 22 or the plasma generated by the discharge arc. The end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 is heated,
When melted, due to the surface tension of the glass constituting the optical fiber 14, the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 becomes a perfect mirror surface free of micro scratches and the like.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method for treating an end face of an optical fiber.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, optical fibers have been used for signal transmission and energy transmission, and when connecting such optical fibers, it is necessary to form the end face of the optical fiber into a perfect mirror surface. If micro-scratch or the like exists on the end face of the optical fiber, a problem such as heat generation from the portion occurs. Therefore, in order to form a complete mirror surface on the end face of the optical fiber, the following steps are conventionally performed.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A, for example, a center hole 120 of a pre-dome ferrule 12 which is a sleeve is provided.
1 through the optical fiber 14, and the end 1 of the optical fiber 14
The optical fiber 14 is fixed to the predome ferrule 12 using an adhesive or the like so that 401 projects from the end face 1202 of the predome ferrule 12. Next, FIG.
As shown in FIG.
The end 1401 of the optical fiber 14 protruding from the base 2 is subjected to rough finishing by polishing, and
And an end surface 1402 continuous with the end surface 1202 of FIG. next,
As shown in FIG. 2C, the end face 140 of the optical fiber 14
2 is finished by polishing. And finally,
As shown in FIG. 2D, the end face 140 of the optical fiber 14
2 was to be buffed.

[0004]

However, such a conventional method requires three steps of rough finishing by polishing, finishing by polishing, and buffing.
There was a problem that it was troublesome and cost could not be reduced. In particular, finishing by buffing and buffing each require skill, which is disadvantageous in reducing costs. The present invention has been devised in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for treating an end face of an optical fiber that can easily form an end face of an optical fiber into a complete mirror surface without requiring skill. It is in.

[0005]

According to the present invention, an optical fiber is inserted into a center hole of a sleeve, and the optical fiber is fixed to the sleeve such that an end of the optical fiber projects from an end face of the sleeve. Thereafter, the end of the optical fiber protruding from the end face of the sleeve is subjected to rough finishing by polishing to form an end face of the optical fiber substantially continuous with the end face of the sleeve, and the end face of the rough finished optical fiber is instantaneously heated. Then, the end face of the optical fiber is formed into a mirror surface. Further, according to the present invention, after inserting an optical fiber having an end face formed by cleavage into a center hole of the sleeve and fixing the optical fiber to the sleeve so that the end face of the optical fiber is substantially continuous with the end face of the sleeve, The end face of the optical fiber is instantaneously heated and melted, whereby the end face of the optical fiber is formed into a mirror surface. Also, the present invention
The end face of the optical fiber is formed by cleavage, and the end face of the optical fiber is instantaneously heated and melted, whereby the end face of the optical fiber is formed into a mirror surface.

According to the present invention, the end face of the rough finished optical fiber or the end face of the optical fiber formed by cleavage is instantaneously heated and melted, whereby the surface of the melted optical fiber is melted. The tension results in a perfect mirror surface without micro-scratches.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1A to 1D are explanatory views for explaining the method of the present invention, and show cross-sectional views of an optical fiber end. First, as shown in FIG. 1A, for example, an optical fiber 14 is inserted into a central hole 1201 of a pre-dome ferrule 12 forming a sleeve, and
End 1401 of end face 12 of pre-dome ferrule 12
The optical fiber 14 is fixed to the predome ferrule 12 using an adhesive or the like so as to protrude from the optical fiber 02. Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, the end 1401 of the optical fiber 14 protruding from the end face 1202 of the pre-dome ferrule 12.
Is subjected to rough finishing by polishing, and an optical fiber 14 substantially continuous with the end face 1202 of the pre-dome ferrule 12 is provided.
Is obtained.

Next, the end face of the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 is instantaneously heated and melted. In this case, heating and melting of the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 may be performed by irradiating the CO ₂ laser 22 to the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 in a pulse shape as shown in FIG. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1D, a discharge arc may be generated by applying a voltage to the two electrodes 24, and the plasma generated by the discharge arc may be used.
Thus, the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 is heated,
When melted, due to the surface tension of the glass constituting the optical fiber 14, the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 becomes a perfect mirror surface free of micro scratches and the like. Then, if the plasma generated by the irradiation of the CO ₂ laser or the discharge arc on the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 is stopped, the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 which has become a perfect mirror surface as described above is exposed to the atmosphere or nitrogen gas. Is instantaneously cooled by the atmospheric gas, and is hardened in the state of a perfect mirror surface without micro scratches or the like.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to omit the finishing process by polishing the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 and the buffing, which are conventionally required, which is advantageous in reducing the cost. In addition, the conventional polishing and buffing, which require skill, can be omitted, and the CO2 laser or discharge arc can be easily and instantaneously generated on the end surface 1402 of the optical fiber 14 by using the apparatus. This is even more advantageous in reducing costs.

[0010] When the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 is formed by cleavage, the surface of the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 is almost in the same state as that obtained by rough finishing by polishing. Therefore, in this case, as shown in FIGS.
End face 1402 is the end face 12 of the pre-dome ferrule 12.
02 so that the pre-dome ferrule 12
After the optical fiber 14 is inserted and fixed in the center hole 1201 of FIG.
As shown in (C) and (D), if the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 is instantaneously heated and melted using a CO ₂ laser 22 or a discharge arc, a complete mirror surface free from micro scratches or the like is obtained. can get.

When the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 alone without using the pre-dome ferrule 12 is made to be a complete mirror surface, the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 is formed by cleavage, and the end face 1402 of the optical fiber 14 is formed.
May be instantaneously heated and melted using the CO ₂ laser 22 or a discharge arc as described above.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the sleeve is a pre-dome ferrule has been described.
In the present invention, the sleeve is not limited to the predome ferrule, and may be another ferrule other than the predome ferrule.

[0013]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the method for treating an end face of an optical fiber of the present invention, the end face of the optical fiber is instantaneously heated and melted by a simple process.
The end face of the optical fiber can be formed in a complete mirror surface simply and without skill.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A to 1D are explanatory views for explaining a method of the present invention, and are cross-sectional views of optical fiber end portions, respectively.

FIGS. 2A to 2D are explanatory views for explaining a conventional method for processing an end face of an optical fiber, and are cross-sectional views of an end of the optical fiber.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 12 predome ferrule 1201 center hole of predome ferrule 1202 end face of predome ferrule 14 optical fiber 1401 end of optical fiber 1402 end face of optical fiber

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An optical fiber is inserted into a center hole of a sleeve, and the optical fiber is fixed to the sleeve so that the end of the optical fiber protrudes from the end face of the sleeve. Then, the end of the optical fiber protrudes from the end face of the sleeve. Rough finishing by polishing is performed to create an end face of the optical fiber almost continuous with the end face of the sleeve, and the end face of the rough finished optical fiber is instantaneously heated and melted, thereby making the end face of the optical fiber a mirror surface. An end face treatment method for an optical fiber, characterized in that it is formed. 2. An optical fiber having an end face formed by cleavage is inserted into a center hole of the sleeve, and the optical fiber is fixed to the sleeve so that the end face of the optical fiber is substantially continuous with the end face of the sleeve. An end face treatment method for an optical fiber, wherein the end face of the fiber is instantaneously heated and melted, whereby the end face of the optical fiber is formed into a mirror surface. 3. An end face of the optical fiber is formed by cleavage, and the end face of the optical fiber is instantaneously heated and melted, whereby the end face of the optical fiber is formed into a mirror surface. End face treatment method for optical fiber. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fixing of the optical fiber to the center hole of the sleeve is performed using an adhesive. 5. The heating and melting of the end face of the optical fiber includes:
4. The method for treating an end face of an optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed by irradiating a CO ₂ laser to the end face of the optical fiber. 6. The heating and melting of the end face of the optical fiber is as follows:
4. The method for treating an end face of an optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed by utilizing plasma generated by a discharge arc. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve is a ferrule.