An apparatus includes a laser system that includes a first fiber having an output end and situated to propagate a first laser beam with a first beam parameter product (bpp) and a second fiber having an input end spliced to the output end of the first fiber at a fiber splice so as to receive the first laser beam and to form a second laser beam having a second bpp that is greater than the first bpp, wherein the output end of the first fiber and the input end of the second fiber are spliced at a tilt angle so as to increase the first bpp to the second bpp.

An optical fiber fusion splicer includes: a replaceable groove-formed unit having first positioning grooves, separated from each other by an equal distance, on which first optical fibers are disposed, and second positioning grooves, separated from each other by an equal distance, on which second optical fibers are disposed, wherein the first optical fibers constitute a first mass fiber and have first glass parts, and the second optical fibers constitute a second mass fiber and have second glass parts; a lighting part that illuminates, with light, the first optical fibers and the second optical fibers; a lens that condenses the light passing through the first glass parts and the second glass parts; a camera that captures an image formed by the lens; and a pair of discharge electrodes that heat and melt, by electric discharge, the first glass parts and the second glass parts.

A fusion splicer is disclosed. The fusion splicer includes a fusion splicing unit that fusion splices of optical fibers, a communication unit that communicates through wireless connection with an external terminal, and a setting unit that sets a fusion condition of the fusion splicing unit. The communication unit acquires information related to the fusion condition of the fusion splicing unit from the external terminal. The setting unit sets the fusion condition of the fusion splicing unit based on the acquired information related to the fusion condition. The fusion splicing unit fusion splices in accordance with the fusion condition set by the setting unit.

Techniques for aligning each of a plurality of optical fibers for coupling to a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). Transmission is detected from each respective optical fiber to the PIC using a probe, and the respective optical fiber is aligned based on the detected transmission. Each of the plurality of optical fibers is coupled to the PIC using at least one of: (i) laser splicing, (ii) laser spot welding, or (iii) arc welding.

A miniature diaphragm-based fiber-optic tip FP pressure sensor, and fabrication method and application thereof. A miniature diaphragm-based fiber-optic tip FP pressure sensor includes an optical fiber, a hollow-core optical fiber, and a pressure sensing diaphragm, wherein the optical fiber and the hollow-core optical fiber have the same diameter, the two are spliced by arc welding; and the pressure sensing diaphragm is bonded to the endface of the hollow-core optical fiber by hydroxide catalysis bonding. The FP pressure sensor can not only realize the all-silica structure of a sensor, but also make the joint of each component free of organic polymer, and has extremely high long-term stability and thermal stability. Meanwhile, by means of a fabrication method of the miniature diaphragm-based fiber-optic tip FP pressure sensor, the application range and service life of the sensor are increased, and fabrication costs are reduced.

A structure includes: an optical fiber including a large-diameter section that is larger in diameter than a remainder of the optical fiber; and a glass block joined to a first end face of the large-diameter section of the optical fiber. The large-diameter section includes a tapering section that: includes, as part of a surface thereof, a sloping surface sloping at an angle of more than 0° and less than 90° to an optical axis of the optical fiber; and is disposed in a portion other than the first end face.

An optical fiber fusion splicing method for performing fusion splicing through positioning of optical fibers to be spliced in a V-groove is provided. The optical fiber fusion splicing method includes pressing the optical fibers placed in the V-groove relatively toward the V-groove using a clamp, varying a clamp pressure of the clamp pressing the optical fibers, and moving the optical fibers placed in the V-groove with respect to the V-groove in an axial direction.

Disclosed are systems and methods that utilize multicore optical fibers for gyro coil winding. Particularly, the use of multicore fiber enables inherent thermal stability without the need for complex, tedious, and costly winding patterns. Enabling the use of level winding techniques eliminates the need for complex quadrupole winding patterns. This simplicity lends itself to advancements towards full automation of winding coils for multicore fibers, without sacrificing performance. This, in turn increases the production rate and overcomes current barriers to fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) market expansion. In accordance with the embodiments, multicore fiber can be utilized in various gyro coil winding techniques, including: level winding; Interrupted Level Wind (ILW); and Dual Axis Symmetric (DAS) winding. Furthermore, each of the multicore fiber gyro coil winding patterns can incorporate a multicore shuffle bridge. The multicore shuffle bridge is designed to provide multiple features, such as facilitating the rotation of mating cores.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for measuring the temperature of optical fibers during fusion splicing or thermal processing, said method comprising: a) measuring, using an interferometric method, a change in an optical path length in an optical fiber due to temperature dependent properties of the optical fiber during fusion splicing or thermal processing; and b) determining the temperature of the optical fiber based on the measured changes in the optical path length.

A fusion splicing apparatus includes a fusion splicing unit, a clock unit that outputs a current date and time, and a fusion control unit that controls an operation of the fusion splicing unit and stops the operation of the fusion splicing unit when a remaining period of use known on the basis of the current date and time output from the clock unit and a usable period input from the outside in advance is zero or less. The fusion control unit records information on the number of times of electric discharge per unit period when the clock unit is normal and determines the remaining period of use assuming that the unit period has elapsed when the number of times of electric discharge has reached the number of times of electric discharge per unit period in a case in which an abnormality of the clock unit is detected.