University of Technology-Iraq, Baghdad

Department of Communication Engineering

Optical Communication Systems Engineering Branch

Fusion Splicing for Optical Fiber

Experiment No.3
Optical Fiber Communications Laboratory II

Mousa Saad Luaibi

Morning Study Fourth year

q

Monday, February 27, 2023

Monday, March 27, 2023

coe.19.003@student.uotechnology.edu.iq
Optical fiber communications Laboratory I 2022-2023

➢ Aim
To understand and implement fusion splicing for optical fiber.

➢ Introduction
▪ What is “Splicing” in fiber optic communication?
The aim of a splice is to accurately join two fiber ends while providing negligible
interruption to the flow of optical energy. Splices have low loss, typically 0.05 to 0.2
dB, versus 0.2 to 0.7 dB for connectors. In a system with many interconnections this
advantage can be significant. The two primary methods of splicing fibers are fusion
and mechanical (see Figure 1).

Figure (1): Fusion and mechanical splicing principle for optical fiber.

Fusion splicing joins fibers by melting them together with heat. In a mechanical splice
the fiber ends are carefully finished and held together in a structure with adhesive or
a clamping device. Fusion splices achieve the lowest optical losses and are the least
costly per splice. The equipment needed, however, is bulky and expensive. Mechanical
splices cost more than fusion splices, but don't require expensive equipment. They
generally have higher loss but may make more sense where fewer interconnections
are needed.

▪ Fiber End Preparation

As with connectors, a crucial aspect of these splices is fiber end preparation. A clean,
perpendicular end-face is essential to minimize the loss between fibers. Two methods
used for glass fiber end preparation are scribing and breaking (cleaving), and polishing.
The cleaving process can be done by hand using inexpensive tools or by elaborate
automated bench equipment Figure 2. Manual techniques using hand tools are less
costly but depend more on operator skill to achieve consistent end finishes. Once the
fiber ends have been prepared by stripping and cleaving, they are inserted into the
splice housing or the fusion equipment. Fusion splicer for glass optical fiber power
meter to minimize loss. In fusion equipment fiber alignment mechanisms are often
Optical fiber communications Laboratory I 2022-2023

used before welding. Once the fibers are in optimum position, they are fused or, in the
case of mechanical splices, retained by compression, friction or an ultraviolet-cured
epoxy.

Figure (2): Optical fiber cleaver.

▪ Fusion Splicing
Fusion splicing requires special (and expensive) equipment containing an electric
welder and a precision mechanism for aligning fibers. They often include a video
camera or microscope so the operator can observe fibers during the alignment
process, and instruments to measure optical power before and after splicing. Many of
them are automated to assist the operator. Fusion splicing two fibers involves several
steps. First, the fiber ends are exposed by snipping back any protective buffer or jacket.
Then the ends are cleaved to provide clean perpendicular faces and aligned so they
butt together accurately. First-generation fusion splicing equipment relied on
technicians to manually align the fiber ends. In the latest generation of equipment this
process is computer- automated with motorized positioning equipment Figure 3. The
computer aligns the fiber ends until the best optical transmission is achieved before
welding.

Figure (3): Optical fiber fusion splicing machine.

Optical fiber communications Laboratory I 2022-2023

Finally, an electric arc is established to weld or fuse the two ends together with heat.
The resulting joint is re-measured optically to ensure minimal light loss, then protected
mechanically and environmentally with either a coating or enclosure. The cost of a
fusion splice is low compared to that of a typical connector because less mechanical
hardware is required.

▪ Mechanical Splicing
Mechanical splices come in a variety of forms, similar to connectors. Two popular
types are capillary and elastomeric. A capillary splice as provided with this curriculum
is the most basic form of mechanical splicing. Two fiber ends are inserted into a thin
capillary tube. Often an index-matching get is applied to each fiber end to keep the
Fresnel (optical) loss to a minimum. The fibers are held in place using epoxy or a
compression technique such as a heat shrink sleeve or a mechanical crimp. For more
information, please find the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hacy8XdlLf0.

The practical implementation of optical fiber fusion splicing

▪ Requirement
1. Protection sleeves.
2. Clean wipes.
3. Peeler and cutter (for 3 level).
4. Splicing machine.
5. Cleaver.

➢ Procedure
1. I’m cut the pigtail, using cleaver to cut the core by 90o for both side a pigtail to make
the splicing easy.
2. I’m cleaned the core by using clean wipes.
3. I’m using sleeves to protect the splicing area.
4. After using sleeves, I’m made sure the pigtail near to electrodes and close the door of
splicing machine.
5. I’m pressed (on) button then pressed (set).
6. I’m heating the sleeves area.
7. Done.
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➢ Discussion
1. How dose fiber splicing works, Explain?
▪ Fusion splicing: The optical fiber is cut by a cutter, then the outer layer, the second
layer, and the core are peeled by the peeler. At that point, the core is cleaned with
wet wipes, then the core is cut by cleaver to obtain a 90o cut, next the splicing
process is performed by fusion splicing machine by link the two fibers in the
machine, after that a sleeve piece is melting on the fiber ends together by heat to
stabilize the fibers spliced.
▪ Mechanical splicing: It involves using a specialized splice connector to join two
fibers together. The fibers are prepared in the same way as for fusion splicing, but
instead of melting the ends together, they are aligned and inserted into a
mechanical splice connector that holds them in place with precision grooves and
clamps.

2. How to avoid bubble while splicing, explain.

▪ Bubbles can form during the coating process or during the melting process in
fusible bonding, and can be avoided by:
1. Cleanliness of all tools used in welding and cleaning of fiber ends.
2. Cut the fibers correctly and at an angle of 90o.
3. Use a slow and steady heating process when melting the fibers
4. Some fasteners come with a vacuum chamber that can be used to remove any
bubbles.

3. What happen if the end face of cable is not properly cut, depth of the fiber cutting
is not adjustable, and the fiber cutting is not completely stripped?
▪ If the end face of the cable is not cut properly, it can cause misalignment of the
fibers during the splicing process, leading to increased loss or even failure of the
splice and noise due to the reflections.
▪ If the fiber cutting depth is not adjustable, it can lead to inconsistent or incorrect
stripping of the fiber, which can result in poor-quality splices or even damage to
the fibers.
▪ If the fiber cutting is not completely stripped, it can leave a portion of the
cladding or buffer material on the fiber and interfere with the alignment of the
fibers or cause increased loss.
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4. Why we change the electrodes of the splicing machine after long time of using?
▪ The electrodes in an optical fiber splicing machine are used to generate the electric
arc that fuses the optical fibers together during the fusion splicing process. Over
time, the electrodes can become contaminated, corroded, or worn, which can
affect the quality of the splices produced. It is recommended to change the
electrodes periodically after every 2,000 to 5,000 splices, or at least once a year.

5. What are Fresnel losses?

▪ Fresnel losses are losses that occur when light is transmitted from one medium to
another due to reflection at the interface between the two media. These losses
occur because the refractive indices of the two media are different, causing a
portion of the incident light to be reflected back rather than transmitted through
the interface. It depends on the angle of incidence, the polarization of the light, and
the refractive indices of the two media.