SETTING METHOD OF SPACE BETWEEN END FACES OF OPTICAL FIBERS IN METHOD FOR WELDING AND CONNECTING OPTICAL FIBERS

摘要

PURPOSE:To enable exact setting of a space between end faces 0 in the stage of welding and connecting by making at least once the relative movement of the end faces of optical fibers in a counter-butting direction and an axially offcentering direction in optional order. CONSTITUTION:The end faces 2A, 2B of the optical fibers are axially centered and the max. photodetection power P1 is obtd. The end 2A is moved toward the end 2B and the power attains the peak at the point P2 when the space between the end faces 3A and 3B attains zero. The end 2A, when moved further, is overpushed as shown in figure (c) and the level of the photodetection power decreases to the point P3. The end 2A is then moved in the counter-butting direction and the movement is stopped when the point P4=P2 is attained. The one end 3B is slightly moved in the axially offcentering direction and if the photodetection power does not change any more, the failure in maintaining exactly the zero space between the end faces is indicated. On the other hand, if the accuracy of the space between end faces = 0 is high, the level of the photodetection power decreases down to the point P5 and therefore the state of the exact space between the end faces = 0 is attained by moving the end 2A until the power P5 is generated by the axial offcentering operation after detection of the power P4.