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The Analysis of Fusion Splice Technique on Single Mode Fiber Optic

Experiment Findings · October 2017

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 The Analysis of Fusion Splice Technique on Single
Mode Fiber Optic
Norazlina Ahmad
Politeknik Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu
Sabah, Malaysia
norazlina@polikk.edu.my
Abstract—Fiber optic is the latest medium that has a high
performance in transmitting the signal. Nowadays, the fiber optic
role is not limited in communication field but encompass in wide
range of application such as medical, networking, military,
aerospace and so on. The data sent should be free from any losses
to ensure the information received is secure and high quality.
However, under circumstances the fiber optic cable can be
damaged causing from human activities and catastrophe. This
paper investigates the fusion splicing technique, the most
effective method to repair the damage cable and some other
purposes. The experiment is conducted on a single mode fiber
optic cable (SMF) repeatedly. Time pre-fusion, time fusion and
current fusion are three parameters that are considered in this
research at 1310nm. Based on the experiment conducted for
SMF, the best time pre-fusion are in the range 0.3s – 0.4s, time
fusion 3s - 5s and current fusion 13mA respectively.
Keywords- fusion splice, single mode fiber optic, pre-fusion and
fusion splice time, current fusion
I. INTRODUCTION
Data transmission is a vital element in communication,
where the signal transmits the data in various form within a
few seconds. The existence of fiber optic exchange the
traditional method that using copper in transmitting and
receiving the data. Moreover, fiber optic is a flexible substance
that can be placed anywhere particularly at unreachable
position and has a high durability to the surrounding.
Unfortunately, the effects of human activities and the
environment can cause the damage to the fiber optic. As a
result, the signal is sent but in poor quality or cannot be sent
completely.
There are numerous methods and devices employed in field
installation and repair the damage fiber. Field termination,
mechanical splicing and fusion splicing are three methods to
repair the damage fiber optic [1]. Fusion splices provides the
highest quality connection with the lowest loss within range
0.01 dB to 0.10 dB compared to the loss in mechanical splices
in the range 0.05 dB to 0.2 dB for SMF [2].
Basically, the execution steps are quite similar between
these techniques but differ in terms of the end result. However,
in fusion splicing technique the end to end both of the fibers is
Azman Talib
Electrical Engineering Department
Politeknik Kota Kinabalu
Sabah, Malaysia
azmant@polikk.edu.my
joined by welded them together to form like a new fiber and
believed become efficient compared to another methods.
II. RELATED WORKS
The main purposes of fiber optic connection are increasing
the fiber length, installing the fiber into the specific equipment
or repairing the damage to the optical fiber. In 1970s, the
fusion technique using high temperature had been discovered
and was applied to the optical fiber. As a result, the connection
obtained is high quality, more reliable and be able to reduce the
signal loss.
Numerous techniques, researches and development on the
optical fiber in terms of reducing the loss had been conducted.
The joining of the optical fiber is a commonly issue that has
been discussed widely in order to ensure the signal that
transmit and receive via the fiber is safe and has a high quality.
Typically, single mode fiber optic is used in long distance,
higher bandwidth runs as long as its ability to decrease the
number of light reflections, lowering the attenuation and enable
the signal to travel faster.
The research on single mode fiber optic has been conducted
by Jumpates et.al, which analyzed the causes of fusion splicing
[3]. They investigated the major errors in optical fiber joining
namely lateral misalignment, angular misalignment and end
separation that can be occurred in any network communication.
They claimed by understand the errors and comply with the
procedure that have been set-up, will help to identify the
problems of the connection made by fusion splicing.
Watanabe et.al in their study demonstrated the passive
alignment for single mode multicore fiber (MCF) has a lower
loss splice compared to the active alignment [4]. They also
summarizes that cleave angle affect the fusion splice loss, more
large the cleaved angle, more losses the loss obtained. A simple
method using fusion splicing has been adopted by Tse et.al in
their study for holey fibers and single mode fibers [5]. They
investigated that the losses from both of the fiber are decreased
when the overlap distance are larger.
Meanwhile, Fouad applied the arc-fusion splicing technique
in his study on forward-scattering pattern of SMF sample
Corning Flex 780 and Corning 10/05211101 [6]. The result
showed that the modified scattering-pattern of the axial offset
distance of the fiber is can reduced the power loss in the fibers
when the distance is decreasing. Another study about the fusion
splicing technique has been carried out in reducing the power
losses in axial and angular misalignment of SMF-28 and
MP980 [7]. The researchers believed that the optimal distance
in axial misalignment is around 4.1um (SMF-28) and 1.16 um
(MP980) with angle 0° (angular misalignment) should be
applied to produce the lowest losses. The fusion splicing has
become a robust technique in reducing power loss and applied
in several investigations such as on photonic crystal fibers [8 -
9], Erbium-doped fibers [10], optical fiber sensors [11] and so
on.
III. METHODOLOGY
The experiment is started with fiber ends preparation,
involves three main processes which is stripping, cleaning and
cleaving. The most important process is cleaving where the
fiber is stretched and broken with a sharp metal point. The end
fiber should have an angle 90° aligned with longitudinal axis
and did not exceed 1° of angle deviation. Incomplete cleaving
will affect the loss values during the fusion process.
Fusion splicing technique involves heating process
followed by melting the fiber. Electrodes heating for fusion are
using electric arc that highly in power. The arc is generated
from high frequency voltage that alternated between two
electrodes where the current is more stable and under control
melting process. Optical time domain reflector (OTDR) is
typical equipment used in loss determination. The average loss
for single mode (SM) is less than 0.05 dB and 0.02 dB for
multi-mode (MM) optical fiber. The loss in MM optical fiber is
lower because of the numerical aperture (NA) and large core
diameter compared to the SM fiber.
There are three parameters have been focused and
investigated in this research. The explanations of the
parameters are elaborated as below:
A. Pre-fusion Time
Pre-fusion is a technique to provide the tip of the fiber
surface to be quite round by using a low energy discharge. In
addition, this technique can also prevent the formation of air
spaces as well as controlling the movement of the two ends of
the fiber to the next connection occurs to avoid necking impact
on the joints. Pre-fusion also can be used for cleaning the fiber
ends to be fused. In theory, the pre-fusion occur within a short
time of around 0.3 - 0.5 seconds.
B. Fusion Time
Fusion is the technique of optical fiber connection using
electric arc heating with high temperature around 1000°C.
Within 5 seconds, the glass core will be melted and connected
with this temperature. Guarantee loss is less than 0.1dB.
C. Fusion Current
The fusion current is a current used to produce high
temperature electric arc for heating rod designed to melt glass.
Theoretically, the fusion current is less than 20mA.
The method used to measure the quality of optical fiber
using fusion splicing is cut-back. In this method, the power P1
of the fibers with a certain length will be measured by OTDR.
Then, the fibers will be cut and connected back after splicing.
The power, P2 will be measured when the fiber is connected
and the power loss can be calculated by subtracting the power
of P2 from P1 as in
 Loss  P1  P2 (dB)  
The experiment is started to investigate the relationship of
lateral and longitudinal (end separation) misalignments under
operating wavelength 1310nm. In the longitudinal
misalignment, the separation distance between the fibers that
will be joined will be modified and the loss can be calculated
using
 1 
 (dB)  
Loss gap  10 log 
 
 S 2  1 
Meanwhile in lateral misalignment experiment, the position
of the optical fiber cores will be adjusted and the losses for the
gap is
 2
X 
 Loss lat  10 log exp   (dB)  
  W  
 
Where X is lateral misalignment, W is a mode-field radius and
S is the end face separation. Thus, the determination of the pre-
fusion time, fusion time and fusion current can be done by
applying the lateral and longitudinal distances that previously
obtained in the subsequent experiment.
IV. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The connection is initiated by joining the end of transmitter
and receiver of SM optical fiber with diameter 250µm under
operating wavelength 1310nm (loss = 0.33dB/km). The
experiments are conducted by determine the loss with lateral
and longitudinal misalignments, the pre-fusion time, fusion
time and fusion current. The experiment is initially done by
means of obtaining the optimum distance of longitudinal and
lateral misalignment as depicted in Fig. 1(a) and 1(b). The
Figure 1. Optimal longitudinal distance
graphs showed that the lowest value of loss obtained indicated
that the optimum longitudinal distance was 0.012µm and
0.0075 µm for lateral distance.
Figure 2. Optimal lateral distance
By applying both of the optimum distances into subsequent
experiment, the optimum pre-fusion time, fusion time and
current fusion could be obtained. Only the current discharge
parameter was varied from 12.5mA, 15mA and 17.5mA while
12mA and 20mA values were discarded because the values
were far from the expectation, thus the more losses would be
gained. Further experiment can be divided under three
circumstances:
A. Under current 12.5mA
In pre-fusion time determination, Fig. 3(a) depicted that the
losses are plotted arbitrary and can be concluded that the loss
increased when the pre-fusion time increased. The optimal
value for pre-fusion is selected regarding to the lowest loss
obtained. In the graph, the optimal value for pre-fusion time
under discharge current is 0.3s.
Figure 3(a). Best time of pre-fusion under discharge current
12.55mA
Figure 3(b). Best fusion-time under discharge current 12.5mA
Then, the optimal value is implemented in the fusion time
determination experiment. Data obtained was plotted as shown
in Fig. 3(b). The graph indicated that the fusion time more than
6 seconds has higher losses. The optimal fusion time obtained
is 5.55 seconds. Both optimal values have been implemented in
further experiment, in current fusion determination. The data
obtained is showed in Fig. 3(c). The optimal current is 13mA.
This combination is suggested to gain less losses of signal.
Figure 3(c). Best fusion current under discharge current 12.5mA
B. Under current 15 mA
The Fig. 4(a), (b) and (c) showed the data obtained from the
experiment using discharge current 15mA. The first indicated
that losses are increased starting from 0.4 seconds of pre-fusion
time. Meanwhile, the approximately fusion time is 5.55
seconds and slightly increased above the time. Regarding both
of the times, the best current fusion is 13 mA. The values
obtained closely to the values in previously experiment
conducted.
Figure 4(a). Best time of pre-fusion under discharge current 15mA
Figure 4(b). Best fusion-time under discharge current 15mA
 Figure 4(c). Best fusion current under discharge current 15mA Figure 5(c). Best fusion current under discharge current 17.5mA

seconds to 5 seconds and approximately to the theory although

C. Under current 17.5 mA
Once again, the set of procedure is followed in conducting
the experiment under discharge current 17.5 mA. Fig. 5(a), (b)
and (c) depicted the result obtained and plotted presented in an
arbitrary graph. The findings indicated that the best pre-fusion
time is 0.36 seconds. The value is slightly increasing from the
previous experiment. Meanwhile, the time of fusion is 3.8
seconds and optimal current 13 mA as recorded.
the temperature in this experiment is not recorded.
Furthermore, the fusion current for whole of the experiment is
similar and complying with the theory, less than 20mA. Those
values are chosen when they have the potential to be 0 in
losses.
TABLE I. COMPARISON OF THREE PARAMATERS UNDER VARY
DISCHRGE CURRENT

Long. Lateral Optimal Value

Discharge
Dist. Dist. Current Pre- Fusion
Fusion-
(µm) (µm) (mA) fusion Current
Time(s)
time (s) (mA)
12.5 0.33 4.36 13

0.012 0.075 15 0.3 5.55 13

17.5 0.36 3.8 13

Figure 5(a). Best time of pre-fusion under discharge current
17.5mA
V. CONCLUSION
Based on the experiment conducted, the chosen value has
quite low loss and closely to 0dB for joining SM optical fiber
using fusion splicing approach. The values obtained are closely
to the theoretical values and still under the range. There are
several ways should be concern during the experiment such as
ensure the tools are clean, high quality of optical fiber, fusion
splicing machine in good condition, high quality of electrode
and so on. By comply with standard procedure; the amount of
losses can be reduced effectively.

REFERENCES

Figure 5(b). Best fusion-time under discharge current 17.5mA
The data from experiment can be simplified as in Table 1
below. The suggested pre-fusion time for single mode optical
fiber is within range 0.3 – 0.4 seconds and complies with the
theoretical value. The suitable fusion time is starting from 3
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