| 摘要 |
Apparatus for abrading an optical fibre 4 comprises a polishing wheel 10, means 8 and 12 to hold the fibre 4 against the wheel 10, means 6 to transmit EM radiation into the fibre 4 and means 34 to detect radiation transmitted through the region of the fibre 4 which is being abraded. Abrasion is stopped when a predetermined level of radiation is detected. Apparatus for aligning a polarisation maintaining optical fibre 4 comprises means 10 to bend the fibre 4, means 6 to transmit EM radiation through the bent region of the fibre 4, a rotatable polariser connected to means 34 for measuring minimum and maximum received power levels to thereby determine the fibre orientation. The fibre 4 is then aligned by rotation using precision rotation units 42. This apparatus may be used in combination with the abrading apparatus. A polariser comprises a polarisation maintaining optical fibre having an abraded region on a side of the fibre in one of its planes of polarisation, the abraded region being at least partially covered by a metal layer. |
