Abstract: A multi-electrode system includes a fiber holder that holds at least one optical fiber, a plurality of electrodes arranged to generate a heated field to heat the at least one optical fiber, and a vibration mechanism that causes at least one of the electrodes from the plurality of electrodes to vibrate. The electrodes can be disposed in at least a partial vacuum. The system can be used for processing many types of fibers, such processing including, as examples, stripping, splicing, annealing, tapering, and so on. Corresponding fiber processing methods are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a glass preform heating furnace in which the occurrence of arching is suppressed. The glass preform heating furnace is equipped with a susceptor (3); a slit heater (4); an insulator; and a furnace body, wherein, in the case that the space between the slit heater (4) and the susceptor or between the slit heater (4) and the conductive member closest to the slit heater is D, that the maximum value of the electric field in this space is E1, that the number of the slits in the slit heater is N, that the slit width of the slit heater is S, and that the maximum value of the electric field in the slit space is E2, the values of D, N and S are set so that E1?E2 is established.

Abstract: A multi-electrode system includes a fiber holder that holds at least one optical fiber, a plurality of electrodes arranged to generate a heated field to heat the at least one optical fiber, and a vibration mechanism that causes at least one of the electrodes from the plurality of electrodes to vibrate. The electrodes can be disposed in at least a partial vacuum. The system can be used for processing many types of fibers, such processing including, as examples, stripping, splicing, annealing, tapering, and so on. Corresponding fiber processing methods are also provided.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for cleaving an optical fiber are provided. The process includes window stripping the optical fiber using a laser source to create a window strip. The window stripped optical fiber is then scribed at a position within the window strip and tension is applied to the optical fiber. The cleaved optical fiber can be chamfered by applying a heat source to the cleaved end face. The above process and apparatus provide a high precision and inexpensive system for fiber cleaving and chamfering.

Abstract: A gas supplying unit supplies a nitrogen gas into a furnace body of a graphite heating furnace in which at least a part of the furnace body is formed with a graphite. An exhausting unit exhausts a gas inside the furnace body to outside the furnace body. A dew-point temperature of the nitrogen gas supplied into the furnace body is equal to or lower than ?80° C. A pressure inside the furnace body is equal to or higher than 140 Pa with respect to an atmospheric pressure outside the furnace body.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for making silicon or silicon/germanium core fiber is described, which uses a plasma process with reducing agent to make preform. The process also makes the recommendations in selecting the adequate cladding tube for better fiber properties. An improved fiber drawing apparatus is also disclosed in order to draw this new type of preforms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for manufacturing fibres comprising a melting furnace, a crucible within said furnace comprising at least one orifice (6) and at least one induction coil (4) for heating the melting furnace and the crucible. In a typical system according to the invention, the crucible comprises at least a first part (1) made of graphite and comprising said at least one orifice (6). The invention also relates to the use of the system as well as to a method for manufacturing fibres and to said fibres.

Abstract: Individually operable laser diodes in an array are associated with optical fibers for treatment of a material. Each laser diode has a generally Gaussian or similar profile. A guide block receives optical fiber terminal distal ends and enables irradiation of a surface for treatment with overlapping profiles. A control system controls individual laser diodes to achieve desired illumination profiles for a given process. The process is performed in a suitable environment which may include a vacuum system, controlled gaseous environment, or in a doping medium such as a surface coating or even a liquid. Optional relay optics interposed between the terminal distal ends and the treatment material allows distant relaying and reimaging. An optical isolator assembly may be interposed between the relay optics and the treatment material. The system and related methods allow direct irradiation from laser diodes to treat materials.

Abstract: An apparatus for small particle and nanoparticle synthesis. A durable particle generator capable of high temperature particle synthesis. The particle generator is configured as to minimize susceptor degradation associated with harsh reaction conditions, for example, using encased susceptors.

Abstract: A multi-electrode system includes a fiber holder that holds at least one optical fiber, a plurality of electrodes arranged to generate a heated field to heat the at least one optical fiber, and a vibration mechanism that causes at least one of the electrodes from the plurality of electrodes to vibrate. The electrodes can be disposed in at least a partial vacuum. The system can be used for processing many types of fibers, such processing including, as examples, stripping, splicing, annealing, tapering, and so on. Corresponding fiber processing methods are also provided.

Abstract: In a glass processing method according to the invention, in the case of performing chemical vapor deposition or diameter shrinkage of a substrate glass tube G by relatively moving a heating furnace 20 comprising a heating element 21 for annularly enclosing the circumference of the substrate glass tube in a longitudinal direction of the substrate glass tube G with respect to the substrate glass tube G in which an outer diameter is 30 mm or more and a wall thickness is 3 mm or more and is less than 15 mm and an ovality of the outer diameter is 1.0% or less using a glass processing apparatus 1, a temperature of at least one of the heating element 21 and the substrate glass tube G is measured and the amount of heat generation of the heating element 21 is adjusted based on the measured temperature.

Abstract: A multi-electrode system includes a fiber holder that holds at least one optical fiber, a plurality of electrodes arranged to generate a heated field to heat the at least one optical fiber, and a vibration mechanism that causes at least one of the electrodes from the plurality of electrodes to vibrate. The electrodes can be disposed in at least a partial vacuum. The system can be used for processing many types of fibers, such processing including, as examples, stripping, splicing, annealing, tapering, and so on. Corresponding fiber processing methods are also provided.

Abstract: An induction furnace capable of drawing large diameter preforms of up to 130 mm is described. The induction furnace has top and bottom chimneys surrounding the entire preform during operation of the furnace with an inert conditioning gas which is introduced into the top chimney and flows downward through the furnace body and bottom chimney without significant turbulence. A distributor ring inside the top chimney redirects flow from a circumferential direction to a downward direction. The top chimney also includes a resilient seal to releasably hold the top of the preform. The bottom chimney has a smoothly decreasing cross-sectional area preventing turbulence at the furnace exit. The furnace insulation is preferably a rigid self-supporting graphite cylinder. A method of drawing large diameter preforms either to an optical fiber or to a preform of smaller diameter using such a furnace is also described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing an infrared transmitting fiber (50) comprising the steps of providing a preform (20) of the infrared transmitting fiber (50) to be produced, said preform (20) comprising a receptacle, which is the precursor of the fiber's cladding, and a solid solution provided inside said receptacle, said solid solution being the precursor of the fiber's core; heating the fiber's preform (20) up to a temperature in which the receptacle softens and the solid solution melts; collecting the flow generated by the softened receptacle; drawing the fiber (50) from the collected flow.

Abstract: A multi-electrode system comprises a fiber support configured to hold at least one optical fiber and a set of electrodes disposed about the at least one optical fiber and configured to generate arcs between adjacent electrodes to generate a substantially uniform heated field to a circumferential outer surface of the at least one optical fiber. The electrodes can be disposed in at least a partial vacuum.

Abstract: Thermal 3-D microstructuring of photonic structures is provided by depositing laser energy by non-linear absorption into a focal volume about each point of a substrate to be micromachined at a rate greater than the rate that it diffuses thereout to produce a point source of heat in a region of the bulk larger than the focal volume about each point that structurally alters the region of the bulk larger than the focal volume about each point, and by dragging the point source of heat thereby provided point-to-point along any linear and non-linear path to fabricate photonic structures in the bulk of the substrate. Exemplary optical waveguides and optical beamsplitters are thermally micromachined in 3-D in the bulk of a glass substrate. The total number of pulses incident to each point is controlled, either by varying the rate that the point source of heat is scanned point-to-point and/or by varying the repetition rate of the laser, to select the mode supported by the waveguide or beamsplitter to be micromachined.

Abstract: In a glass processing method according to the invention, in the case of performing chemical vapor deposition or diameter shrinkage of a substrate glass tube G by relatively moving a heating furnace 20 comprising a heating element 21 for annularly enclosing the circumference of the substrate glass tube in a longitudinal direction of the substrate glass tube G with respect to the substrate glass tube G in which an outer diameter is 30 mm or more and a wall thickness is 3 mm or more and is less than 15 mm and an ovality of the outer diameter is 1.0% or less using a glass processing apparatus 1, a temperature of at least one of the heating element 21 and the substrate glass tube G is measured and the amount of heat generation of the heating element 21 is adjusted based on the measured temperature.

Abstract: Apparatus for making glass fibers has AC induction coils for AC inductive heating of a spinner for spinning molten glass into molten glass fibers, an enclosure that at least partially surrounds the AC induction coils to protect a human worker, and electrically insulating shielding reducing AC power drain by being positioned between the AC induction coils and the enclosure to reduce inductive heating of the enclosure.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heating element having a ring shape provided in a furnace for drawing an optical fiber from a large-diameter preform so as to heat and melt a preform. The heating element according to heating element includes at least two hot zones having different heating temperatures, wherein one of the hot zones is arranged in a neck-down region of the preform to heat the preform at a temperature suitable for drawing an optical fiber. Also, the hot zone includes a first heating unit for heating a preform at a temperature suitable for draw an optical fiber from the preform; and a second heating unit for heating a surface of the preform to a relatively lower temperature than the first heating unit.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical fiber base material includes: forming a porous glass base material by depositing glass particles; providing a vessel which employs a composite tube, the composite tube including a portion formed by jacketing a first quartz glass containing aluminum equal to or less than 0.01 ppm with a second quartz glass containing aluminum equal to or more than 15 ppm; introducing dehydration reaction gas and inert gas into the vessel; heating the jacketed portion in the vessel which contains the dehydration reaction gas and the inert gas; and inserting the porous glass base material into the heated vessel to dehydrate and sinter the porous glass base material.

Abstract: A gas supplying unit supplies a nitrogen gas into a furnace body of a graphite heating furnace in which at least a part of the furnace body is formed with a graphite. An exhausting unit exhausts a gas inside the furnace body to outside the furnace body. A dew-point temperature of the nitrogen gas supplied into the furnace body is equal to or lower than ?80° C. A pressure inside the furnace body is equal to or higher than 140 Pa with respect to an atmospheric pressure outside the furnace body.

Abstract: The double crucible for a glass drawing method has a heatable outer crucible (1) and an inner crucible (2) surrounded by the outer crucible (1), which is heatable separately from the outer crucible (1). Both crucibles (1,2) have an outlet nozzle (1a, 2a) for the glass to be drawn. To make glass fibers from heavy metal oxide glass (HMO-glass) with higher quality and comparatively simple crucible features, the outlet nozzle (1a) of the outer crucible (1) extends a certain distance beyond the outlet nozzle (2a) of the inner crucible (2). Surfaces of the outlet nozzles coming in contact with the glass melt are polished and are provided on a material, which has a reducing action on heavy metal glass in the melt in all cases. These surfaces also have sufficient mechanical strength for and chemical inertness to heavy metal oxide glass.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, the polymeric coating is removed from a coated optical fiber by disposing the fiber within a non-oxidizing environment and applying sufficient heat to volatilize at least a portion of the polymeric coating. The result is that the coating material bursts from the fiber, yielding a clean glass surface virtually free of surface flaws. In a preferred embodiment the non-oxidizing environment is inert gas and the heat is provided by resistive filament heaters.

Abstract: An optical fiber is formed by performing vapor phase deposition of SiO2 on the outside of a glass rod comprising a core section and a first cladding section and drawing a glass preform which formed by a second cladding section. Also, a single mode optical fiber is manufactured so that the ratio of the diameter D of the first cladding section and the diameter d of the core section is in a range of 4.0 to 4.8, and OH concentration is 0.1 ppm or less. Also, an optical fiber is manufactured so that a value of D/d>4.8, and the OH concentration is 0.1 ppm or less. It is thereby possible to maintain an initial loss in the 1380 nm wavelength range even if hydrogen diffusion occurs.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for low polarization mode dispersion. The apparatus is operative to draw an optical fiber from a prepared preform using a draw tower and includes (a) a main heating source serving to heat the preform; and, (b) a stationary auxiliary heating source disposed below the main heating source, adjacent to the optical fiber drawn from the preform, for serving to locally and periodically heating the drawn optical fiber so as to remove residual stresses from the optical fiber, thereby minimizing polarization mode dispersion.

Abstract: A method for heating optical fibers by electric discharge includes fusion splicing optical fibers and then applying a heating to a neighborhood of a fusion splicing part of the optical fibers by the electric discharge. The discharge electrodes are provided in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which the optical fibers are arranged. The heating is applied to the neighborhood of the fusion splicing part by the electric discharge with discharge electrodes. The discharge electrodes are moved not only in a direction of arrangement of the optical fibers but also in an axial direction of the optical fibers such that more thermal energy is applied to an optical fiber positioned closer to a center of the arrangement of the optical fibers than to an optical fiber positioned away from the center.

Abstract: A method for drawing a glass ingot into a rod having a given outer diameter is described. The method is characterized in that when the glass ingot is fed into a heating zone at a final tapered portion thereof, a temperature in the heating zone is decreased so that the final tapered portion is prevented from being drawn in excess owing to the heat from the heating zone.

Abstract: To compensate for disturbing influences during arc welding of at least two optical waveguide fiber ends, an impedance of the discharge path of the arc is measured and at least one of the welding parameters is varied based on the measured impedance.

Abstract: To enable surface tension forces to confer upon an optical fiber end (P1), a shape procuring good optical coupling the end is partially melted in an electric arc (ZC). To improve the reproducibility of this shape movement into the arc is achieved by a unidirectional sideways displacement (MC) of the fiber at an angle to the optical fiber axis. The invention applies to coupling a flat array of optical fibers to a strip of components such as semiconductor lasers. To this end the fibers (F1, . . . , F6) are fixed into grooves on a fiber support (2). The latter is displaced to dip the fiber ends simultaneously into a chemical etching bath which gives them a pointed shape and then to move them successively into the electric arc.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing glass fibers wherein molten glass is deposited onto a spinning cup structure. Centrifugal force urges the molten glass outwardly and upwardly along the inner surface of an upstanding wall of the cup structure. The glass is then extruded through small holes in the cup wall. A downflowing stream of hot gas passes downwardly along the outer surface of the cup wall to turn the fibers downwardly while producing an attenuation (reduction) of fiber diameter. The lower portion of the cup side wall is heated to achieve greater temperature uniformity of the fibers as they are formed. A cool gas curtain is formed about the downflowing hot gas stream to somewhat concentrate the hot gas stream for more uniform heating of the downflowing glass fibers.

Abstract: For obtaining mineral fibers from a thermoplastic material having a high melting point, and more precisely for the regulation of the flow rate and temperature of the stream of molten material distributed on the fiber-drawing machine, the molten material is conveyed via a reservoir where the flow rate is regulated and the height of the molten material at the base of the tapping aperture is controlled by inclining the reservoir. Preferably the molten material is subject to a basic heating process which raises its temperature close to the fiber-drawing temperature and, in the vicinity of the tapping aperture, it is subject to additional heating in order to adjust the temperature precisely.