ELECTROLESS METALLIZATION OF OPTICAL FIBER FOR HERMETIC PACKAGING

摘要

Electroless methods have been developed for the deposition of nickel and gold on optical fibers using aqueous chemistry. The main point is to increase and decrease the surface of the optical fiber using dilute tin fluoride aqueous solution without oxygen. Tin fluoride solution is made by dissolving crystalline SnF ₂ in deionized water. The next treatment involves immersing the sensitized optical fiber in a commercially available electroless nickel and electroless gold solution with an aqueous palladium chloride / HCl solution. This method can be used with chemical or fusion lenzing operations by using a removable polymer coating to selectively coat the fiber ends. Solder joints matched to metal-coated fibers are hermetic as measured by helium leak test, and solder traction test strengths typically range from 1.361 to 2.268 Kg depending on the type of solder.;This electroless plating method for metallization of optical fibers makes it possible to facilitate the coalescence of the soldered fibers and the package, which is prohibited due to the high cost of sputtered metallization or cannot be mechanically performed. The method is useful for all conventional wave components that require hermetic or highly reliable fiber attachment.