Process and apparatus for spherically curving an end of an optical fiber

摘要

In order to provide an end face of an optical fiber with a spherical curvature of predetermined radius, designed to optimize the transfer of luminous intensity from an adjoining light source such as a light-emitting diode, a flat fiber is heated to a temperature near its melting point while its profile is optically enlarged. When that profile is found to have reached a predetermined shape criterion, as determined by visual observation or by electronic scanning, heating is terminated.