Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaving an optical fiber waveguide comprises a support base, a fixed fiber support including a fixed fiber base and a self-aligning fiber holder, a fiber pull tension assembly including a tension assembly base and a rotatable pull clamp, a tension spring, and a scribing knife assembly. The self-aligning fiber holder and the pull clamp support the fiber in an adjustable tension applied by the tension spring. The knife assembly comprises a blade carriage reciprocally driven on a linear slide by a motor drive assembly through a crank and a crank actuator. On the blade carriage is mounted a scribing blade borne on a blade arm that is upwardly biased. A guide pin on the blade arm engages a generally parallelogram-shaped guide track in the fixed fiber base. The guide track has an upper track and a lower track. During forward motion of the blade carriage, the guide pin travels in the lower track, thereby depressing the blade arm.

Abstract: A splicing system for joining polarization-maintaining, single mode optical fibers produces durable fusion splices that have low transmission loss and maintain mode integrity. The system employs active optical techniques such as profile alignment or local injection and detection to achieve optimized lateral alignment of the fibers prior to fusion. Azimuthal alignment is performed using a transverse, polarized light illumination and detection system. Each fiber is rotated azimuthally to determine a transverse intensity function. The transverse intensity functions of the respective fibers are cross-correlated to determine a relative orientation that matches the polarization axes of the fibers. After the relative position of the fibers is manipulated laterally, axially, and azimuthally, the fibers are fusion spliced using an electric arc discharge.

Abstract: A splicing system for joining polarization-maintaining, single mode optical fibers produces durable fusion splices that have low transmission loss and maintain mode integrity. The system employs active optical techniques such as profile alignment or local injection and detection to achieve optimized lateral alignment of the fibers prior to fusion. Azimuthal alignment is performed using a transverse, polarized light illumination and detection system. Each fiber is rotated azimuthally to determine a transverse intensity function. The transverse intensity functions of the respective fibers are cross-correlated to determine a relative orientation that matches the polarization axes of the fibers. After the relative position of the fibers is manipulated laterally, axially, and azimuthally, the fibers are fusion spliced using an electric arc discharge.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaving an optical fiber waveguide comprises a support base, a fixed fiber support including a fixed fiber base and a self-aligning fiber holder, a fiber pull tension assembly including a tension assembly base and a rotatable pull clamp, a tension spring, and a scribing knife assembly. The self-aligning fiber holder and the pull clamp support the fiber in an adjustable tension applied by the tension spring. The knife assembly comprises a blade carriage reciprocally driven on a linear slide by a motor drive assembly through a crank and a crank actuator. On the blade carriage is mounted a scribing blade borne on a blade arm that is upwardly biased. A guide pin on the blade arm engages a generally parallelogram-shaped guide track in the fixed fiber base. The guide track has an upper track and a lower track. During forward motion of the blade carriage, the guide pin travels in the lower track, thereby depressing the blade arm.