Fusion Splicing of Fiber Optic Components -How to Minimize Rework

摘要

Fusion splices are used to interconnect optical components with low transmission loss, minimum reflection, and long-term stability. The main criterion of a splice joint between two optical components is the transmission loss. The loss is caused by the non-linear interaction of various mechanisms, for example fiber con; offset, fiber core bending, core dopant diffusion, and so on. A fusion splicer is designed to minimize the effects of all these mechanisms, though not all influences can be compensated completely. The result is a distribution of random loss values spread according to a characteristic distribution function. But the loss distribution is not the only aspect to be assessed regarding splice performance. Another important point is the loss estimator accuracy, as the estimator will detect bad splices and influence the yield. This paper will discuss the relationship between splice loss performance and estimator accuracy and will provide a basic guideline for selection of an optimized splice loss criterion that allows for a high yield and adequate loss performance.