Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the alignment of the optical fibers at a high precision, formed by a base frame having a plurality of pairs of V-grooves for mounting the optical fibers at mutually facing sides of the base frame, each V-groove being defined by a fixed member and a movable member, each movable member being movable within a guide groove defined between each adjacent fixed members, and one of each pair of V-grooves on one of the mutually facing sides has the fixed member and the movable member facing against the movable member and the fixed member, respectively, of another one of each pair of V-grooves on another one of the mutually facing sides; and a plurality of piezoelectric elements, each of which is connected with each movable member of each V-groove, for causing each movable member to move within the guide groove such that a displacement of each movable member makes an adjustment of a position of an optical fiber mounted on each V-groove.

Abstract: A method of fusion splicing optical fibers. Cores of the optical fibers to be fusion spliced are arranged in such a manner that the ends of the corresponding cores of optical fibers opposingly face to each other between discharge electrodes for fusion splicing. Discharge current flowing between the discharge electrodes is automatically adjusted according to a number of the cores of the optical fibers to substantially provide an optimal correction to the discharge current in relation to the number of the cores of the optical fibers. The discharge current is further adjusted to a variation in atmospheric pressure to substantially provide an optimal correction to the discharge current in relation to the variation in atmospheric pressure.