Coupler moisture sensitivity detection method

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of optical fiber communication, and specifically provides a coupler moisture sensitivity detection method, which adopts a fusion taper device to manufacture a coupler with a first port and a second port; a clamp is used to fix and protect the coupling area of the coupler, then the whole coupler is placed in a container containing water and the coupling area of the coupler is completely soaked in the water, the change of the insertion loss (IL) and the splitting ratio (CR) of the coupler is monitored online, if the change amount of the insertion loss (IL) of the coupler is greater than 0.50 dB, it is determined that the coupler is sensitive to moisture, otherwise, it is determined that the coupler is not sensitive to moisture, the detection method is convenient to operate, fast to test, and can test in real time whether the coupler is sensitive to moisture, greatly shortens the process improvement period and research and development period of the coupler, and further improves the competitiveness of the coupler.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of optical fiber communication technology, and more specifically, relates to a method for detecting the moisture sensitivity of a coupler. Background Technology

[0002] Typically, fused tapered couplers operate in humid environments, especially high-temperature and high-humidity environments, which can cause changes in the spectral ratio, preventing the coupler from functioning properly. To ensure that the coupler can operate normally in humid environments for extended periods, coupler manufacturers optimize the fused tapered coupler process to reduce the coupler's sensitivity to moisture.

[0003] Traditional methods for testing the moisture sensitivity of couplers involve packaging the coupler after manufacturing (including one layer of packaging (V-groove protection of the coupling area), a second layer of packaging (quartz tube sealing of the coupling area), and a third layer of packaging (external steel tube protection)). After packaging, the insertion loss (IL), refractive index (CR), and polarization dependent loss (PDL) are tested. Then, a 2000-hour high-temperature and high-humidity test is conducted. After the test, the insertion loss (IL), refractive index (CR), and polarization dependent loss (PDL) are tested again, and the changes are compared. If the change in insertion loss (IL) and polarization dependent loss (PDL) is greater than 0.50 dB, the coupler is considered sensitive to moisture; otherwise, it is considered insensitive to moisture. However, a significant drawback of this testing method is the long testing cycle, which leads to a long product process improvement time and hinders rapid response to customer needs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a method for detecting the moisture sensitivity of a coupler, so as to solve the technical problem of long detection cycle of moisture sensitivity in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows: A method for detecting the moisture sensitivity of a coupler is provided, comprising: fabricating a coupler with a first port and a second port using a fused taper fabrication apparatus; fixing and protecting the coupling area of ​​the coupler with a clamp; connecting the coupler to a testing system to obtain the insertion loss IL11 of the first port, the insertion loss IL21 of the second port, and the splitting ratio CR1 in the initial state; and completely immersing the coupler in water, using the testing system to obtain the insertion loss IL12 of the first port after immersion. The insertion loss IL22 and splitting ratio CR2 of the second port are calculated; the insertion loss change ΔIL1 of the first port and the insertion loss change ΔIL2 of the second port are calculated respectively; when ΔIL1 <= 0.50dB and ΔIL2 <= 0.50dB, the coupler is determined to be insensitive to moisture; when ΔIL1 > 0.50dB or ΔIL2 > 0.50dB, the coupler is determined to be sensitive to moisture; where ΔIL1 = |IL11 - IL12|, ΔIL2 = |IL21 - IL122|.

[0006] Optionally, the fused biconical tapering device includes a first optical fiber fixing device, a second optical fiber fixing device, a burner, and an optical power detector. The first optical fiber fixing device is used to fix the optical fiber; the second optical fiber fixing device is used to fix the optical fiber and is spaced apart from the first optical fiber fixing device; the burner is disposed between the first optical fiber fixing device and the second optical fiber fixing device; and the optical power detector is connected to the output end of the optical fiber.

[0007] Optionally, the first optical fiber fixing device includes a fixing base and a pressure block, the pressure block being connected to the fixing base, and the optical fiber being pressed between the pressure block and the fixing base.

[0008] Optionally, the burner includes a quartz burner head, which is connected to oxygen and hydrogen, and is used to melt the optical fiber and couple the optical fibers together.

[0009] Optionally, the fused tapered apparatus further includes a packaging stage for packaging the coupler.

[0010] Optionally, the fusion tapering equipment further includes a lifting device connected to the packaging platform.

[0011] Optionally, the fused tapered device further includes a monitor connected to the optical power detector, the monitor being used to monitor the performance parameters of the coupler.

[0012] Optionally, the fixture includes a V-groove and encapsulating adhesive; the optical fiber is placed in the V-groove, and the two ends of the V-groove along its length are fixed by the encapsulating adhesive.

[0013] Optionally, the fixture is placed on the encapsulation stage, and the encapsulation stage is provided with a heating element for heating the encapsulation adhesive to cure it.

[0014] Optionally, the testing system includes a light source, a first optical power meter, a second optical power meter, and a third optical power meter; the light source is connected to the input terminal of the coupler; the first optical power meter is connected to the light source and is used to test the power of the light source; the second optical power meter is connected to the first port and is used to test the power of the first port; the third optical power meter is connected to the second port and can be used to test the power of the second port.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the coupler moisture sensitivity detection method provided in this application are as follows: Compared with the prior art, the coupler moisture sensitivity detection method of this application, after the coupler tapering is completed, uses a clamp to fix and protect the coupling area of ​​the coupler, and then places the entire coupler in a container filled with water and completely immerses the coupling area of ​​the coupler in water. The insertion loss (IL) and splitting ratio (CR) of the coupler are monitored online. If the change in the insertion loss (IL) of the coupler is greater than 0.50dB, the coupler is determined to be sensitive to moisture; otherwise, it is determined to be insensitive to moisture. This detection method is convenient to operate, fast to test, and can detect whether the coupler is sensitive to moisture in real time, which greatly shortens the process improvement cycle and R&D cycle of the coupler and further improves the competitiveness of the coupler. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fusion tapered wire apparatus provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fixture provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the fixture provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the test system provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 ;

[0021] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the test system provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 ;

[0022] Figure 6 A comparison chart of the 2% port insertion loss change of the coupler before and after immersion in water, provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0023] The following are the labeling elements in the figure:

[0024] 1-First fiber fixing device; 101-Fixed base; 102-Pressure block; 103-Motor; 2-Second fiber fixing device; 3-Burner; 4-Optical power detector; 5-Encapsulation stage; 6-Lifting device; 7-Monitor; 8-Fiber optic cable; 9-Encapsulation adhesive; 10-V-groove; 11-Coupled area; 12-Light source; 13-First optical power meter; 14-Second optical power meter; 15-Third optical power meter; 16-Coupler; 17-Fiber optic splice point. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects to be solved by this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0026] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0027] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0028] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0029] The method for detecting the moisture sensitivity of a coupler provided in the embodiments of this application will now be described. The method for detecting the moisture sensitivity of a coupler includes: fabricating a coupler with a first port and a second port using a fused taper apparatus; fixing and protecting the coupling area of ​​the coupler with a clamp; connecting the coupler to a test system to obtain the insertion loss IL11 of the first port, the insertion loss IL21 of the second port, and the splitting ratio CR1 in the initial state; completely immersing the coupler in water and using the test system to obtain the insertion loss IL12 of the first port, the insertion loss IL22 of the second port, and the splitting ratio CR2 after immersion; calculating the change in insertion loss ΔIL1 of the first port and the change in insertion loss ΔIL2 of the second port respectively; if ΔIL1 <= 0.50 dB and ΔIL2 <= 0.50 dB, the coupler is determined to be insensitive to moisture; if ΔIL1 > 0.50 dB or ΔIL2 > 0.50 dB, the coupler is determined to be sensitive to moisture; where ΔIL1 = |IL11 - IL12|, ΔIL2 = |IL21 - IL122|.

[0030] Compared with the prior art, the coupler moisture sensitivity detection method provided in this application, after the coupler tapering is completed, uses a clamp to fix and protect the coupling area of ​​the coupler, and then places the entire coupler in a container filled with water, so that the coupling area of ​​the coupler is completely immersed in the water. The insertion loss (IL) and splitting ratio (CR) of the coupler are monitored online. If the change in the insertion loss (IL) of the coupler is greater than 0.50dB, the coupler is determined to be sensitive to moisture; otherwise, the coupler is determined to be insensitive to moisture. This detection method is convenient to operate, fast to test, and can detect whether the coupler is sensitive to moisture in real time, which greatly shortens the process improvement cycle and R&D cycle of the coupler and further improves the competitiveness of the coupler.

[0031] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 1 The fused ablation tapering device includes a first optical fiber fixing device 1, a second optical fiber fixing device 2, a burner 3, and an optical power detector 4. The first optical fiber fixing device 1 is used to fix the optical fiber 8; the second optical fiber fixing device 2 is used to fix the optical fiber 8 and is spaced apart from the first optical fiber fixing device 1; the burner 3 is located between the first optical fiber fixing device 1 and the second optical fiber fixing device 2; and the optical power detector 4 is connected to the output end of the optical fiber 8.

[0032] There are two optical power detectors 4, which monitor the optical power of the first port and the second port respectively.

[0033] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 1The first optical fiber fixing device 1 includes a fixing base 101 and a pressure block 102. The pressure block 102 is connected to the fixing base 101, and the optical fiber 8 is pressed between the pressure block 102 and the fixing base 101. By setting the pressure block 102, the optical fiber 8 can be better fixed and prevented from loosening.

[0034] The structure of the second optical fiber fixing device 2 is the same as that of the first optical fiber fixing device 1; the fixing base 101 is also connected to a motor 103, which can adjust the position of the fixing base 101 to ensure that the optical fiber 8 is fixed in a straight line; the pressure block 102 can be a magnet, so that the pressure block 102 is magnetically connected to the fixing base 101, which is simple and convenient to operate.

[0035] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 1 The burner 3 includes a quartz burner head, which is connected to oxygen and hydrogen. The quartz burner head is used to melt the optical fiber 8 and make the optical fiber 8 melt and couple with each other.

[0036] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 1 The molten tapered device also includes a packaging stage 5, which is used to package the coupler 16.

[0037] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 1 The fusion tapering equipment also includes a lifting device 6, which is connected to the packaging platform 5. The lifting device 6 can control the lifting and lowering of the packaging platform 5, making it convenient for different users to operate.

[0038] The lifting device 6 may include a motor and a ball screw. The output shaft of the motor is connected to the screw portion of the ball screw, and the nut portion of the ball screw is connected to the packaging platform 5. The nut portion and the screw portion are connected by a threaded transmission. The motor drives the screw portion to rotate, which in turn drives the nut portion to rise and fall, thereby realizing the raising and lowering of the packaging platform 5.

[0039] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 1 The molten tapered device also includes a monitor 7, which is connected to an optical power detector 4 and monitors the performance of the coupler 16.

[0040] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to the following: Figure 2 and Figure 3 The fixture includes a V-groove 10 and encapsulating adhesive 9; the optical fiber 8 is placed in the V-groove 10, and the two ends of the V-groove 10 along its length are fixed by the encapsulating adhesive 9. The area between the two encapsulating adhesives 9 is the coupling area 11 of the coupler 16.

[0041] In one embodiment of this application, a fixture is placed on a packaging stage 5, and a heating element is provided on the packaging stage 5. The heating element is used to heat the packaging adhesive 9, so that the packaging adhesive 9 cures. The heating element may include a heating plate, and a heating coil is provided inside the heating plate. A V-groove 10 is placed on the heating plate. The V-groove 10 is made of metal material and can conduct heat. When the heating coil is energized, it generates heat, which is transferred to the packaging adhesive 9 through the heating plate and the V-groove 10, so that the packaging adhesive 9 is heated and cured.

[0042] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to the following: Figure 4 and Figure 5 The testing system includes a light source 12, a first optical power meter 13, a second optical power meter 14, and a third optical power meter 15. The light source 12 is connected to the input terminal of a coupler 16. The first optical power meter 13 is connected to the light source 12 and is used to test the power of the light source 12. The second optical power meter 14 is connected to a first port and is used to test the power of the first port. The third optical power meter 15 is connected to a second port and is used to test the power of the second port.

[0043] This embodiment uses a fiber optic coupler 16 with a splitting ratio of 2%:98% (i.e., a splitting ratio of 2:98) as an example to illustrate how to quickly detect the sensitivity of the coupling area 11 of the coupler 16 to moisture.

[0044] Step 1: Please refer to Figure 1 The coupler 16 with a splitting ratio of 2:98 was fabricated using a fused taper apparatus, and the main optical performance indicators of the coupler 16 at this time were recorded. These main optical indicators include insertion loss (IL) and splitting ratio (CR).

[0045] Step 2: Place the V-groove 10 on the encapsulation platform 5 of the fusion tapering equipment, and activate the lifting device 6 in the fusion tapering equipment to adjust the height of the encapsulation platform 5 so that the V-groove 10 rises to the designated position; then seal the two ends of the V-groove 10 with adhesive 9, heat-curing the adhesive 9 to protect the coupling area 11 of the coupler 16. A schematic diagram of the encapsulated coupler 16 is shown below. Figure 2 As shown.

[0046] Step 3: Connect the packaged coupler 16 to the test system. Based on the source power P0 of the light source 12, the 2% port power P11 and the 98% port power P21 of the coupler 16, the insertion loss (IL11) of the 2% port, the insertion loss (IL21) of the 98% port and the splitting ratio (CR1) of the coupler 16 can be obtained respectively.

[0047] Insertion loss is the loss of load power due to the insertion of the coupler, and can be obtained by the following formulas: IL11=LG(P11 / P0); IL21=LG(P21 / P0), where LG represents the logarithm to the base 10.

[0048] The light source 12 is a 1550nm DFB light source. The source power P0 of the light source 12 can be recorded by the first optical power meter 13; the second optical power meter 14 monitors the optical power of the 2% port of the coupler 16 in real time; the third optical power meter 15 monitors the optical power of the 98% port of the coupler 16 in real time; the input optical fiber 8 of the coupler 16 is connected to the output optical fiber 8 of the light source 12, and an optical fiber splice 17 is formed at the connection.

[0049] Step 4: Keep the coupler 16 connected to the test system, then completely immerse the coupler 16 in a beaker filled with water, and record the display values ​​of the second optical power meter 14 and the third optical power meter 15 at this time, denoted as P12 and P22 respectively. Based on the source power P0 of the light source 12, the 2% port power P12 and the 98% port power P22 of the coupler 16, the insertion loss of the 2% port (IL12), the insertion loss of the 98% port (IL22) and the splitting ratio (CR2) of the coupler 16 after immersing in water can be obtained.

[0050] IL12 = LG(P12 / P0), IL22 = LG(P22 / P0); then according to the formulas ΔIL1 = |IL11-IL12| and ΔIL2 = |IL21-IL122|, the changes in insertion loss of the 2% port and 98% port of coupler 16 before and after immersion in water can be obtained respectively.

[0051] If ΔIL1 <= 0.50 dB and ΔIL2 <= 0.50 dB, then coupler 16 is determined to be insensitive to moisture. If ΔIL1 > 0.50 dB or ΔIL2 > 0.50 dB, then coupler 16 is determined to be sensitive to moisture. Tables 1 and 2 show the changes in insertion loss before and after immersion in water for the moisture-insensitive coupler and the moisture-sensitive coupler, respectively.

[0052] Table 1: Changes in insertion loss at the 2% port and 98% port of moisture-insensitive couplers before and after immersion in water:

[0053]

[0054]

[0055] Table 2: Changes in insertion loss at the 2% port and 98% port of the moisture-sensitive coupler before and after immersion in water:

[0056]

[0057]

[0058] Based on the data in Tables 1 and 2, a comparison chart of the 2% port insertion loss change of the coupler before and after immersion in water can be drawn, as follows: Figure 6 As shown in Tables 1 and 2 above, the comparison data demonstrates that the coupler moisture sensitivity detection method provided in this application is not only simple and convenient to operate, but also can quickly test whether the coupling area of ​​the coupler is sensitive to moisture, and the change in the spectrophotometer ratio of the coupler before and after immersion in water is not significant. Therefore, the coupler moisture sensitivity detection method provided in this application greatly shortens the cycle for verifying and confirming whether the coupler is sensitive to moisture, playing a key role in rapidly improving the moisture sensitivity of the coupler.

[0059] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for detecting the moisture sensitivity of a coupler, characterized in that, include: A coupler with a first port and a second port is manufactured using a melt-drawing tapered device; The coupling area of ​​the coupler is fixed and protected using a clamp; Connect the coupler to the test system to obtain the insertion loss IL11 of the first port, the insertion loss IL21 of the second port, and the splitting ratio CR1 in the initial state. The coupler was completely immersed in water, and the insertion loss IL12 of the first port, the insertion loss IL22 of the second port, and the splitting ratio CR2 were obtained using the test system after immersion. The insertion loss change ΔIL1 at the first port and the insertion loss change ΔIL2 at the second port are calculated respectively. If ΔIL1 <= 0.50 dB and ΔIL2 <= 0.50 dB, the coupler is determined to be insensitive to moisture. If ΔIL1 > 0.50 dB or ΔIL2 > 0.50 dB, the coupler is determined to be sensitive to moisture. Where, ΔIL1=|IL11- IL12|, ΔIL2=|IL21- IL22|; The fused biconical tapering device includes a first optical fiber fixing device, a second optical fiber fixing device, a burner, and an optical power detector. The first optical fiber fixing device is used to fix the optical fiber; the second optical fiber fixing device is used to fix the optical fiber and is spaced apart from the first optical fiber fixing device; the burner is disposed between the first optical fiber fixing device and the second optical fiber fixing device; the optical power detector is connected to the output end of the optical fiber; there are two optical power detectors, and the two optical power detectors monitor the optical power of the first port and the second port, respectively. The fixture includes a V-groove and encapsulating adhesive; the optical fiber is placed in the V-groove, and the two ends of the V-groove along its length are fixed by the encapsulating adhesive; The fixture is placed on the encapsulation stage, which is equipped with a heating element, including a heating plate with a heating coil inside. The V-groove is placed on the heating plate. When the heating coil is energized, it generates heat, which is transferred to the encapsulating adhesive through the heating plate and the V-groove, causing the encapsulating adhesive to cure under heat.

2. The coupler moisture sensitivity detection method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first optical fiber fixing device includes a fixing base and a pressure block, the pressure block being connected to the fixing base, and the optical fiber being pressed between the pressure block and the fixing base.

3. The coupler moisture sensitivity detection method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The burner includes a quartz burner head, which is connected to oxygen and hydrogen. The quartz burner head is used to melt the optical fiber and cause the optical fiber to melt and couple with each other.

4. The coupler moisture sensitivity detection method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fused tapered apparatus also includes the encapsulation stage, which is used to encapsulate the coupler.

5. The coupler moisture sensitivity detection method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The fusion tapering equipment also includes a lifting device, which is connected to the packaging platform.

6. The coupler moisture sensitivity detection method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fused tapered device also includes a monitor connected to the optical power detector, which is used to monitor the performance parameters of the coupler.

7. The coupler moisture sensitivity detection method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The testing system includes: A light source, which is connected to the input terminal of the coupler; A first optical power meter is connected to the light source and is used to test the power of the light source. A second optical power meter, connected to the first port, is used to test the power of the first port; and A third optical power meter is connected to the second port and is used to test the power of the second port.

Images