METHOD FOR CONNECTING OPTICAL FIBER BY WELDING

摘要

PURPOSE:To prevent generation of a very small flaw or crack and local generation of thermal strain by dissolving away coating parts by a soln. from optical fibers, holding mechanically such fibers, butting the connecting end faces to each other and heating the end faces with specified power under electric discharge thereby welding the end faces. CONSTITUTION:The cut optical fiber is immersed for the specified length from the end thereof into sulfuric acid 12 in a vessel 13 heated by a heater 14 to remove the coating part 1 of the optical fiber without mechanical external force. The fiber is immersed into the solvent, which is acetone 15, in a vessel 16. The fiber end is thus cleaned under light stirring. The coating part 1 of the optical fiber is put into the V-groove 5a for fixing the optical fiber of a supporting base 5 and is grasped and fixed from above by a retaining jig 6. The contact from the outside is thus eliminated in the stage of connecting the bare optical fibers 2 by welding and therefore the generation of a flaw is prevented. Both bases 5 are brought into proximity to each other to butt the connecting end faces of the fie bers 2 and thereafter the connecting ends are heated under the gas discharge by discharge electrodes 8 by which the connecting ends are welded and connected.