STRUCTURAL BODY FOR CONNECTING OPTICAL FIBER

摘要

PURPOSE:To obtain a low-loss structural body for connecting optical fibers by immersing the columnar body of crosslinked or semi-crosslinked transparent elastomer into a crosslinking agent-contg. fluoroelastomer soln. then subjecting the same to crosslinking under heating sand changing the immersion time according to the longitudinal position of the columnar body at this time. CONSTITUTION:The columnar body of the elastomer which is transparent and crosslinked or semi-crosslinked to the extent of having self-holdability is immersed in an upright state, into the crosslinking agent-contg. fluoroelastomer soln. The columnar body is pulled up at a specified speed at this time. The refractive index distribution corresponding to the amt. of the crosslinking agent-contg. fluoroelastomer impregnated to the columnar body can be formed by changing the immersion time in the respective longitudinal positions of the columnar body and crosslinking the same under heating after drying. The columnar body provided with the refractive index distribution in the axial line direction in such a manner is used as a core material 1. The outside peripheral face of this core material is coated with a general clad material 2 by which the structural body 5 for connecting the optical fibers 3, 4 is formed. The loss to be generated from the abrupt difference in the refractive index is thereby decreased and the reflection and scattering of light at the boundary face are prevented.