A method of providing consistent uniform and controlled zone heat at a fiber’s surface is presented using a CO2 laser
with axicon reflective elements. This optical configuration converts a laser beam into a light structure resembling a
disc or cone that can band a fiber’s perimeter. The characteristic of this structure is its inherent ability to deliver
increasing power density through uniform convergence toward the structure’s center thus applying the appropriate
melting heat to varying sizes of fiber. By offsetting the light structure, precise localized zone heating and annealing of
specific areas at a fiber’s surface can be achieved as well. This is essentially a passive devise into which active
feedback elements can be incorporated to allow precise control of processes such as splicing, tapering, ball and axicon
lensing, end capping, and combiner fabrication.
A novel feedback control method has been developed for an automated splicer using a CO2 laser as the heating element. The feedback method employs a sensor for laser beam power and CMOS cameras as sensors for fiber luminescence which is directly related to glass temperature. The CO2 laser splicer with this type of feedback system provides a consistent platform for the fiber laser and bio-medical industry for fabrication of fused glass components such as tapers, couplers, combiners, mode-field adaptors, and fusion splices. With such a closed loop feedback system, both splice loss and peak-to-peak taper ripple are greatly reduced.
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