Patent · US Expired

Systems and methods for low-loss splicing of optical fibers

US6840687B2 · kind B2 · utility

21Cited by
4References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 17, 2002
Grant dateJan 11, 2005
Priority date—
Expiry dateAug 9, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/2551
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Techniques and systems are described for reducing splice loss in an optical fiber transmission line. One described technique includes splicing together at a splice point a first fiber having a first modefield diameter to a second fiber having a second modefield diameter larger than the first modefield diameter. The splice point is heated to a core expansion temperature to cause a controlled thermal diffusion of core dopant in the first fiber in order to reduce modefield mismatch between the first and second fibers. Splice loss is then reduced by heating the splice point to a differential diffusion temperature to cause a controlled diffusion of a cladding dopant in the first fiber, while maintaining the expanded core.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.