| 摘要 |
<p>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical fiber fusion splicing method in which effect for reducing connection loss can be greatly enhanced by a simple structure, and also to provide an electric discharge heating device for the fusion spliced part of an optical fiber. SOLUTION: This method comprises a fusion splicing process (step S14) and an electric discharge heating process (step S15). In the fusion splicing process, each end face and its proximity of optical fibers A, B is melted in discharge heating by a pair of electrodes, with the end faces pushed into each other by a holding part and fusion-spliced. In the discharge heating process, a modulation is imparted to the discharge current in the manner that its maximum value is above the discharge starting current and that its minimum is below but not zero. In addition, in the discharge heating process, argon gas is supplied into the housing through a gas feeding port, making an argon gas atmosphere inside the housing. Then, the pair of electrodes heats the fusion splicing part by electric discharge, while moving at least in the longitudinal direction of the fiber in an electrode moving stage.</p> |
