Laser-Based Splicing of Glass Fibers Onto Optical Components

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for laser-based splicing of a glass fiber (1) onto an optical component (3), comprising the following steps: arranging both surfaces to be spliced substantially parallel to each other and at a predefined distance from each other; and aiming a laser beam (4) at the optical component (3).

In order to specify an improved method in which the properties of the joining partners are maintained to the greatest extent during splicing, which exhibits high reproducibility and in particular is suitable for splicing joining partners of different cross-sections, the invention proposes that the angle of incidence of the laser beam (4) on the surface of the optical component be between 15° and 45°.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A process for splicing a glass fiber onto an optical component, said method comprising: disposing a cross-sectional surface of said glass fiber and a surface of said optical component at a distance from one another; and directing an annular-shaped laser beam at said optical component surface so that the laser beam is aiming toward but is not focused on said optical component surface and also does not directly hit said glass fiber, wherein an angle of incidence of the laser beam as it is aiming toward said optical component surface is between 10 degrees and 60 degrees; and the distance between said glass fiber cross-sectional surface and said optical component surface and the angle of incidence are chosen such that said laser beam irradiates a portion of an annular zone of said optical component surface until said annular zone of the optical component begins to soften, and said laser beam is reflected from said optical component surface toward the glass fiber cross-sectional surface, and warms said glass fiber cross-sectional surface without said cross-sectional surface softening, so that said glass fiber cross-sectional surface and said optical component surface are spliced together.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said angle of incidence is between 15 degrees and 45 degrees.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said laser beam is polarized.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising: generating said laser beam using a CO.sub.2-laser source.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising: irradiating the entirety of said annular zone on said optical component surface.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising: varying an annulus width of said annular zone during the splicing process.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising: varying a diameter of said annular zone during the splicing process.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising: varying the diameter of said annular zone such that the diameter of the annular zone is greater than a diameter of the glass fiber cross-sectional surface.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising: varying performance characteristics of the laser beam as a function of time during the splicing process.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein said glass fiber is pure silica glass.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein said glass fiber is doped silica.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein said glass fiber is a photonic crystal.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein said glass fiber comprises a plurality of doped regions.

Description

[0024] The invention is described now on the basis of a preferred practical example, where:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of two joining partners.

[0026] FIG. 1 schematically shows a glass fiber 1 having a surface 2 to be spliced. Located in an arrangement facing the surface 2 to be spliced is an optical component 3. Glass fiber 1 and optical component 3 are manufactured from silica glass. In FIG. 1, for example, an end cap splice is produced at a PCF.

[0027] The surface 2 to be spliced is arranged substantially parallel to the surface of the optical component 3 and at a distance from it.

[0028] A laser beam 4 is aimed at the section of the surface of the optical component 3 which is to be connected with the glass fiber 1, and it has an angle of incidence a which should range between 15° and 45°.

[0029] The laser beam 4 is a laser beam formed as an annular beam from a CO.sub.2 laser source not shown here, which for the sake of clarity is only represented schematically by the dashed lines designated with number 4. Radiation 4 in this practical example has a cone shell shape which is generated either by beam forming by means of suitable optical components or by continuous deflection of the laser beam 4. The laser beam 4 irradiates an annular zone 5, the diameter of which is greater than that of glass fiber 1. Glass fiber 1 is not hit directly by the laser beam 4.

[0030] As one may recognize in FIG. 1, the laser beam is not focused onto the surface of the optical component 3. The slightly divergent bundle of beams of the laser beam 4 hits onto the surface of the optical component 3 and there it irradiates the annular zone 5 which on account of defocusing has a corresponding width.

[0031] The surface of the optical component 3 is heated by the laser radiation 4 up to the softening of the material.

[0032] Part of the laser beam 4, dependent upon laser beam focusing and angle of incidence a, is reflected from the surface of the optical component 3 and directed to the surface 2 of glass fiber 1 where it causes a warm-up of glass fiber 1 without this leading to a softening and thus to a destruction of the structure of glass fiber 1. However, warming-up the fiber 1 is required to ensure a stable splice connection.

[0033] When the glass fiber 1 and the optical component 3 have reached the relevant desired temperature, they are brought into contact in order to establish the splice connection (not shown here).