CLADDING ALIGNMENT FOR FUSION SPLICING OPTICAL FIBERS

摘要

In aligning ends of optical fibers (13), e.g. for performing a prealignment of ends of large mode area double-clad fibers (LMA-DCFs) in order to thereafter perform a core alignment process, in a fiber optic fusion splicer a best, optimum or near optimum position or setting of the optical system (7) for observing the self-focusing effect is first determined and then the very alignment operation may be performed using the determined setting. The very alignment process may then be performed by adjusting stepwise the offset distance between the observed fiber ends by e.g. using a cascade technique.