A detection method for the state of an optical fiber before sputtering coating on the optical fiber

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for detecting the state of an optical fiber before sputtering coating the optical fiber; the method includes the following steps: S1: Fix the optical fiber; S2: Collect an image of the optical fiber at the initial position to obtain an initial optical fiber image; S3: Rotate the optical fiber by an angle θ in sequence until it rotates one full circle, and collect the optical fiber image after the optical fiber rotates by the angle θ; S4: Compare the central axes of the optical fibers in each rotated optical fiber image. If the deviation of the rotated optical fiber image is less than a preset threshold, the optical fiber clamping meets the standard; if the deviation of the rotated optical fiber image is greater than the preset threshold, the optical fiber clamping is unqualified, adjust the optical fiber clamping angle, and repeat the above operations until the optical fiber clamping meets the standard. By collecting images of the optical fiber before coating, rotating the optical fiber in sequence to collect images, and comparing the collected images, the present invention can detect the state of the optical fiber before coating, confirm whether the optical fiber is in the optimal position, facilitate timely adjustment of the optical fiber position, and thus improve the film-forming quality in subsequent coating.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of optical fiber surface coating, and particularly to a method for detecting the state of an optical fiber before sputtering coating of the optical fiber. Background Art

[0002] Optical fibers are widely used in the fields of communication and sensing due to their advantages such as small volume, low cost, and immunity to electromagnetic interference. Usually, it is necessary to weld the optical fiber to a metal to facilitate docking with other devices. However, the weldability between the surface coating of the optical fiber and the metal is very low, and direct welding is likely to cause welding detachment. Therefore, it is necessary to first coat a layer of film on the surface of the optical fiber to improve its weldability with the metal. At the same time, the tensile strength and the sensitivity to temperature and stress of the optical fiber after gold plating are also enhanced.

[0003] For coating the surface of an optical fiber, the most important thing is to control the uniformity of the coating. If the coating thickness is uneven, the overall stress distribution on the surface of the optical fiber will be uneven, increasing the risk of coating detachment during subsequent welding processes. Existing methods for coating the surface of optical fibers include nanoparticle attachment, chemical deposition, thermal evaporation, and magnetron sputtering. Among them, thermal evaporation and magnetron sputtering are the most widely used coating technologies due to their high film formation quality and strong repeatability.

[0004] To improve the coating uniformity, the commonly used method is to make the optical fiber rotate at a constant speed during the coating process. However, if there are various installation errors before coating, it will cause the main axis of the optical fiber not to coincide with the rotation main axis. As a result, when the optical fiber rotates with the fixture, its running trajectory in space will be conical or ellipsoidal, resulting in uneven coating thickness at different positions, and thus affecting the coating quality. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method for detecting the state of an optical fiber before sputtering coating of the optical fiber, which specifically includes the following steps:

[0006] S1: Place and fix the optical fiber in the sputtering chamber, and record the position of the optical fiber;

[0007] S2: Collect an image of the optical fiber at the initial position to obtain an initial optical fiber image;

[0008] S3: Rotate the optical fiber by an angle θ in sequence until it rotates one week, and collect the optical fiber images after the optical fiber rotates by the angle θ in sequence to obtain a plurality of rotated optical fiber images;

[0009] S4: Compare the central axes of the optical fibers in each rotated optical fiber image. If the deviation of the rotated optical fiber image is less than a preset threshold, the optical fiber clamping meets the standard; if the deviation of the rotated optical fiber image is greater than the preset threshold, the optical fiber clamping is unqualified;

[0010] S5: According to the unqualified fiber clamping detected in S4, adjust the fiber clamping angle, and repeat the above operations until the fiber clamping meets the standard.

[0011] Further, in the step S1, the optical fiber is fixed in the sputtering chamber, and the coating area of the optical fiber is in a straightened state.

[0012] Further, both ends of the coating area of the optical fiber are installed in the sputtering chamber through fiber clamps.

[0013] Further, the rotation angle θ of the optical fiber is 0.1 to 10°.

[0014] Further, in the step S4, comparing the fiber central axes of each rotated fiber image includes using an edge detection algorithm to determine the position of the fiber projection on the CCD coordinate image.

[0015] Further, in the step S5, when the deviation of the rotated fiber image is greater than the preset threshold, if the fiber central axis in the rotated fiber image deviates to the right, the fiber is adjusted to the left; if the fiber central axis in the rotated fiber image deviates to the left, the fiber is adjusted to the right.

[0016] Further, an image acquisition device for collecting images and a sputtering chamber for coating are provided in the sputtering chamber. The image acquisition device is arranged facing the optical fiber, and the sputtering chamber is arranged facing the optical fiber.

[0017] Further, the image acquisition device includes a CCD camera.

[0018] Due to the adoption of the above technical solutions, the present invention has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:

[0019] The detection method for the state of the optical fiber before fiber sputtering coating provided by the present invention can detect the state of the optical fiber before coating by collecting images of the optical fiber before coating, sequentially rotating the optical fiber to collect images, and comparing the collected images, confirm whether the optical fiber is in the best position, facilitate timely adjustment of the optical fiber position, and thus improve the film formation quality in subsequent coating. Description of the Drawings

[0020] Figure 1 is a flowchart of the detection method for the state of the optical fiber before fiber sputtering coating of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the sputtering chamber in the detection method for the state of the optical fiber before fiber sputtering coating of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 is a CCD coordinate image without an optical fiber in the detection method for the state of the optical fiber before fiber sputtering coating of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 It is the CCD coordinate image when the optical fiber is correctly clamped in the detection method of the optical fiber state before optical fiber sputtering coating of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 It is the CCD coordinate image when the optical fiber is incorrectly clamped in the detection method of the optical fiber state before optical fiber sputtering coating of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 It is the CCD coordinate image when the optical fiber is incorrectly clamped in the detection method of the optical fiber state before optical fiber sputtering coating of the present invention. Specific embodiments

[0026] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without making creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings, for clear visibility, the dimensions and relative dimensions of some parts may be enlarged.

[0027] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "connected" and "coupled" should be interpreted in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. It can be the internal communication of two components or the interaction relationship between two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific situations.

[0028] In the description of the present invention, the orientation or positional relationship terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", etc. are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of description and simplifying the operation, rather than indicating or implying that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0029] In addition, in the description of the present invention, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for distinction in description.

[0030] As shown in the attached Figure 1 description of the specification, the present invention provides a detection method for the state of an optical fiber before optical fiber sputtering coating, which specifically includes the following steps:

[0031] S1: Place and fix the optical fiber in the sputtering chamber and record the position of the optical fiber;

[0032] Specifically, as shown in the attached drawings of the specification Figure 2 As shown, it is a schematic structural diagram of the fiber sputtering chamber, including a sputtering cavity 1 for sputtering coating, an image acquisition device 2 for image acquisition, an optical fiber 3 disposed in the sputtering chamber. The sputtering cavity 1 is disposed facing the optical fiber 3, and the image acquisition device 2 is also disposed facing the optical fiber 3 for acquiring the image of the optical fiber. In this embodiment, the image acquisition device 2 includes a CCD camera and a CCD screen. The CCD camera is used for acquiring images, and the CCD screen is used for processing and displaying the acquired images.

[0033] S2: Acquire the image of the optical fiber at the initial position to obtain the initial optical fiber image, denoted as P0;

[0034] S3: Rotate the optical fiber by an angle θ in sequence until it rotates one full circle, and sequentially acquire the optical fiber images after the optical fiber rotates by the angle θ to obtain a plurality of rotated optical fiber images, denoted as Pi; where the i corresponding to each image takes values 1, 2... 360 / θ - 1. Rotate the optical fiber in the same direction. After rotating by the angle θ, acquire one optical fiber image and store them sequentially. The rotation angle θ of the optical fiber is 0.1 - 10°. Of course, the rotation angle of the optical fiber can be set according to actual needs. Sequentially acquire the optical fiber images at intervals of the angle θ for comparing the states of the optical fiber in each direction.

[0035] S4: Compare the optical fiber central axes of the initial optical fiber image and each rotated optical fiber image. If the deviation of the rotated optical fiber image is less than the preset threshold, the optical fiber clamping meets the standard; if the deviation of the rotated optical fiber image is greater than the preset threshold, the optical fiber clamping is unqualified;

[0036] Specifically, an edge detection algorithm can be used to determine the position of the optical fiber projection on the CCD coordinate image. As shown in the attached drawings of the specification Figure 3 As shown, it is a schematic diagram on the CCD coordinate image when there is no optical fiber. As shown in the attached drawings of the specification Figure 4 As shown, it is a schematic diagram on the CCD coordinate image when the optical fiber clamping state is qualified. As shown in the attached drawings of the specification Figure 5 and 6 As shown, it is a schematic diagram on the CCD coordinate image when the optical fiber clamping state is unqualified. Among them, Figure 5 in, the optical fiber deviates to the right, Figure 6 in, the optical fiber deviates to the left. For the (m + 1)×(n + 1) CCD coordinate image, by adjusting the position of the optical fiber, it can be ensured that the optical fiber central axis is located at the (n / 2 + 1)-th column of the image.

[0037] S5: According to the unqualified optical fiber clamping detected in S4, adjust the optical fiber clamping angle, and repeat the above operations until the optical fiber clamping meets the standard.

[0038] Specifically, set the deviation threshold of the fiber optic central axis as δ. By detecting the rotated fiber optic images at 360 / θ positions, determine whether the fiber optic is clamped correctly. If the central axes of the fiber optic projections are all located between (n / 2 + 1 - δ, n / 2 + 1 + δ), it is considered that the fiber optic is clamped correctly, and this process ends, and the coating operation can be carried out; if the maximum deviation of the identified fiber optic central axis from the position of n / 2 + 1 exceeds the threshold δ on any row, it is considered that the fiber optic is not clamped in the correct position. According to the deviation of the fiber optic central axis on the image, the fiber optic clamping angle needs to be adjusted.

[0039] Refined implementation method. If the detection shows that there are central points outside n / 2 + 1 + δ between the 1st to m / 2 + 1st rows of the fiber optic central axis, and at the same time there are central points outside n / 2 + 1 - δ between the m / 2 + 2nd to m + 1st rows, it is considered that the clamping direction of the fiber optic is to the left, and it should be finely adjusted to the right, and repeat the above detection and adjustment process until the fiber optic is clamped correctly; if the detection shows that there are central points outside n / 2 + 1 - δ between the 1st to m / 2 + 1st rows of the fiber optic central axis, and at the same time there are central points outside n / 2 + 1 + δ between the m / 2 + 2nd to m + 1st rows, it is considered that the clamping direction of the fiber optic is to the right, and it should be finely adjusted to the left, and repeat the above detection and adjustment process until the fiber optic is clamped correctly. After the fiber optic is clamped correctly, the coating operation can be carried out.

[0040] Optimized implementation method. In the step S1, the fiber optic is fixed in the sputtering chamber, the coating area of the fiber optic is in a straightened state, both ends of the fiber optic are installed in the sputtering chamber through fiber optic fixtures, and both ends of the fiber optic clamping area are stressed, so that the fiber optic is in a straightened state in the vertical direction, avoiding the fiber optic being in a relaxed state and being bent during rotation, resulting in local coating being affected.

[0041] Next, a specific embodiment will be elaborated in detail:

[0042] 1. Before sputtering, move the sputtering cavity away, place and fix the fiber optic so that the fiber optic is in a straightened state. The fiber optic fixture clamping the fiber optic is connected to a motor, and the motor is in the initial position;

[0043] 2. Use a CCD camera to collect the image of the fiber optic at the initial position and store it, denoted as P0;

[0044] 3. After rotating the fiber optic by 5°, collect the fiber optic image, denote the image as P1, and continue to collect images after rotating by 5° in sequence, that is, rotate the fiber optic in the same direction. Every time it rotates by 5°, collect a fiber optic image and store the images in sequence until the fiber optic rotates one week (the fiber optic rotates 360°), and a total of 72 images are taken, denoted as P1...P 72 , and store the images.

[0045] 4. Use the edge detection algorithm to determine the position of the optical fiber projection on the CCD coordinate image. For the CCD coordinate image, m = n = 10, so there are 11 rows × 11 columns, 10×10 regions on the entire CCD coordinate image, and the size of each region is d×h. Through reasonable mechanical settings, it can be ensured that the central axis of the normally clamped optical fiber is located at the 6d column of the image.

[0046] 5. Set the deviation threshold of the central axis of the optical fiber as δ, and the value of δ can be set according to actual requirements, such as δ = 0.2d. Detect the central axis of the optical fiber. If the maximum deviation of the central axis of the optical fiber identified in any row from the 6d position at the 6th column exceeds the threshold δ, it is considered that the optical fiber is not clamped in the correct position.

[0047] 6. Detect the 72 images collected during one rotation of the optical fiber to determine whether the optical fiber is clamped correctly. If the central axis of the optical fiber projection is located between (6±0.2)d of the 6th column, it is considered that the optical fiber is clamped correctly, and this process ends, and sputtering coating can be started; if the detection shows that there are central points outside (6 + 0.2)d between rows 1 to 6, and at the same time, there are central points outside n / 2 + 1 - δ between rows 7 to 11, it is considered that the clamping direction of the optical fiber is biased to the left, and the clamping position of the optical fiber should be finely adjusted to the right, and repeat the above detection and adjustment operations until the optical fiber is clamped correctly; if the detection shows that there are central points outside (6 - 0.2)d between rows 1 to 6, and at the same time, there are central points outside (6 + 0.2)d between rows 7 to 11, it is considered that the clamping direction of the optical fiber is biased to the right, and it should be finely adjusted to the left, and repeat the above detection and adjustment operations until the optical fiber is clamped correctly. After the optical fiber is clamped correctly, then perform coating to ensure a more uniform coating effect.

[0048] In summary, the present invention provides a method for detecting the state of an optical fiber before sputtering coating. An image acquisition device is arranged in the sputtering chamber to collect images during one rotation of the optical fiber. By comparing the images, it is detected whether the optical fiber is clamped correctly. If the clamping position of the optical fiber is offset, the clamping position of the optical fiber is adjusted to ensure the accurate position of the optical fiber before coating, and improve the coating effect and coating quality.

[0049] Those skilled in the art of this technology should understand that the present invention can be implemented in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, it should be understood that the present invention should not be limited to these embodiments. Those skilled in the art of this technology can make changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for detecting the state of an optical fiber before sputtering coating on the optical fiber, characterized in that, Specifically, it includes the following steps: S1: Place and fix the optical fiber in the sputtering chamber. The optical fiber is fixed in the sputtering chamber, and the coating area of the optical fiber is in a straightened state. Record the position of the optical fiber. S2: Collect the optical fiber image through an image acquisition device, and collect the image of the optical fiber at the initial position to obtain the initial optical fiber image. Among them, the image acquisition device includes a CCD camera. S3: Rotate the optical fiber by an angle θ in sequence until it rotates one week, and collect the optical fiber images after the optical fiber rotates by the angle θ in sequence to obtain a plurality of rotated optical fiber images. The rotation angle θ of the optical fiber is 0.1° to 10°. S4: Compare the central axes of the optical fibers in each rotated optical fiber image. If the deviation of the rotated optical fiber image is less than the preset threshold, the optical fiber clamping meets the standard; if the deviation of the rotated optical fiber image is greater than the preset threshold, the optical fiber clamping is unqualified. Among them, the deviation threshold of the central axis of the optical fiber is set as δ. By detecting the rotated optical fiber images at 360 / θ positions, it is determined whether the optical fiber is clamped correctly. For the CCD coordinate image of (m + 1)×(n + 1), if the central axes of the optical fiber projections are all located between (n / 2 + 1 - δ, n / 2 + 1 + δ), it is considered that the optical fiber is clamped correctly, and this process ends, and the coating operation can be carried out; if the maximum value of the deviation of the central axis of the optical fiber identified in any row from the position of n / 2 + 1 exceeds the threshold δ, it is considered that the optical fiber is not clamped in the correct position, and the optical fiber clamping angle is adjusted according to the offset of the central axis of the optical fiber on the image. S5: According to the unqualified optical fiber clamping detected in S4, adjust the optical fiber clamping angle, and repeat the above operations until the optical fiber clamping meets the standard.

2. The method for detecting the state of an optical fiber before sputtering coating of the optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein, Both ends of the coating area of the optical fiber are installed in the sputtering chamber through optical fiber fixtures.

3. The method for detecting the state of an optical fiber before sputtering coating on the optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein, In step S4, comparing the central axes of the optical fibers in each rotated optical fiber image includes using an edge detection algorithm to determine the position of the optical fiber projection on the CCD coordinate image.

4. The detection method of the optical fiber state before optical fiber sputtering coating according to claim 1, characterized in that A sputtering cavity for coating is arranged in the sputtering chamber, and the sputtering cavity faces the optical fiber.

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