Methods for stripping an optical fiber coating using blue or blue-violet radiation

摘要

Methods for stripping an optical fiber coating using blue or blue-violet radiation are disclosed. The method includes irradiating a portion of the coating with at least one radiation beam having a processing wavelength in the range of 400 nm to 460 nm for which the coating is substantially transparent. The intensity of the radiation beam exceeds the optical-damage threshold of the coating, and thereby a damaged coating portion that absorbs radiation at the processing wavelength is formed. The damaged coating portion is then irradiated with the radiation beam having an intensity below the optical-damage threshold to cause the damaged coating portion to absorb the radiation and to subsequently heat up and disintegrate to expose a section of the central glass portion of the optical fiber.