Hollow-core optical fiber and solid-core optical fiber welding method and device based on mode matching

Abstract

The invention discloses a hollow-core optical fiber and solid-core optical fiber welding method and device based on mode matching. The device comprises an optical fiber clamping module, a mode matching adjusting module, a welding execution module, a base, a power module and a control unit. The optical fiber clamping module comprises a sliding guide rail, a sliding block, two clamp supports which are symmetrically arranged on the sliding block, and two optical fiber clamps which are symmetrically arranged on the clamp supports and are provided with fine tuning knobs. The mode matching adjustment module comprises a light field detector, an optical microscope and a mode matching algorithm processing unit, and the mode matching algorithm processing unit can dynamically adjust the optical fiber clamp according to light field distribution information collected by the light field detector until the mode matching degree meets the requirement; the welding execution module comprises an arc generator, an electrode tip and a cooling assembly, optical fiber welding is completed by accurately controlling arc discharge parameters, and the optical fiber temperature is rapidly reduced through the cooling assembly. The method is simple and convenient to operate, high in process stability and suitable for a large-scale production environment.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of optical fiber communication and optical technology, specifically a mode matching based hollow core fiber and solid core fiber fusion method and device. BACKGROUND

[0002] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and can constitute the prior art. During the implementation of the present application, the inventors found at least the following problems in the prior art.

[0003] With the rapid development of optical fiber communication and laser transmission technology, the low-loss fusion technology of hollow core fiber and solid core fiber has become a key link to realize efficient optical signal transmission. In modern optical fiber communication and high-power laser transmission systems, hollow core fiber is gradually widely used in long-distance transmission and high-power laser transmission fields due to its low nonlinear effect, low dispersion and high damage threshold. However, the fusion technology between hollow core fiber and solid core fiber still faces many challenges, especially in the aspects of mode matching optimization, fusion loss control and process stability, which directly affect the performance optimization and application promotion of the overall system.

[0004] In the prior art, a patent with publication number CN106383384B proposes a hollow core fiber and solid core fiber butt joint packaging method, which realizes high-precision, low-loss butt joint packaging through a high-precision two-dimensional manual linear displacement and rotation platform, combined with a butt joint point optical fiber clamp loading base and a CCD video monitoring module. However, this technical solution mainly relies on mechanical alignment and visual monitoring, which is difficult to completely eliminate additional loss caused by mode mismatch in actual operation. In addition, this method has high requirements for the operating environment, and the process stability and consistency in large-scale production are difficult to guarantee, which limits its wide application in industrial production.

[0005] Another prior art, a patent with publication number CN119270431B, proposes a hollow core fiber power combiner, which realizes long-distance transmission of high-power laser by coupling multiple solid core fibers after tapering and grouping with a nested anti-resonant hollow core fiber. However, this technical solution does not fully consider the matching problem between different fiber modes in the coupling process of the fiber bundle and the hollow core fiber, which may cause energy loss due to mode mismatch. At the same time, this method has high requirements for the preparation and tapering process of the fiber bundle, which increases the manufacturing cost and complexity, further limiting its application in practical applications.

[0006] The above problems show that the existing hollow core fiber and solid core fiber fusion technology still has significant deficiencies in mode matching optimization, reducing fusion loss and improving process stability. Especially in high-precision optical signal transmission and high-power laser transmission scenarios, how to effectively solve the mode mismatch problem, reduce the fusion loss and improve the consistency and operability of the process to adapt to the large-scale production environment, so as to meet the needs of modern optical fiber communication and laser transmission system for high-performance fusion technology, has become a technical problem to be solved. SUMMARY

[0007] In view of the above problems, the purpose of the present application is to solve some of the problems in the prior art, or at least alleviate these problems.

[0008] A hollow core fiber and solid core fiber fusion device based on mode matching, comprising:

[0009] a base;

[0010] a fiber clamping module, comprising a horizontal moving device and two clamp supports symmetrically arranged on the horizontal moving device; two fiber clamps with fine adjustment mechanisms are symmetrically arranged on the clamp supports; the horizontal moving device is in sliding connection with the base and can drive the clamp supports to move horizontally on the base;

[0011] a mode matching adjustment module, comprising an optical field detector, an optical microscope and a mode matching algorithm processing unit in electrical connection with the two; the optical field detector and the optical microscope are fixedly installed above the middle parts of the two clamp supports; the optical microscope is used to assist in observing the alignment of the fiber end face; the mode matching algorithm processing unit is used to analyze and process the light field distribution information collected by the optical field detector and the information transmitted by the optical microscope;

[0012] a fusion execution module, comprising an electric arc generator and an electrode head connected with the electric arc generator; the electrode head is arranged above the fiber to be fused to generate a high-temperature electric arc to realize fiber fusion;

[0013] a power module, for supplying power to the fiber clamping module, the mode matching adjustment module and the fusion execution module;

[0014] a control unit, in communication connection with the mode matching adjustment module and capable of driving the fine adjustment mechanism to dynamically adjust the fiber clamps until the mode matching degree meets the requirements.

[0015] Further, the core formula of the mode matching algorithm of the mode matching algorithm processing unit is as follows:

[0016]

[0017] Wherein, M represents the mode matching degree, I1(x, y) and I2(x, y) are the light field intensity distribution functions of the hollow optical fiber and the solid core optical fiber end face respectively, and A is the effective area of the optical fiber end face; the formula quantifies the mode matching degree by calculating the overlapping degree of the light field distribution of the two optical fiber end faces, and when the M value reaches the preset threshold value, it is considered that the mode matching has been optimized to the best state.

[0018] Further, the fine adjustment mechanism is a fine adjustment knob to realize micron-level displacement adjustment in three-dimensional directions; the control unit is connected with the fine adjustment knob.

[0019] Further, the horizontal moving device comprises a sliding guide rail and a sliding block capable of moving horizontally along the sliding guide rail; the sliding guide rail is fixed on the base, and the clamp support is fixed on the sliding block.

[0020] Further, the top of the clamp support is provided with a display screen, operation buttons and status indicator lights; the operation buttons are used to manually control the movement of the optical fiber clamp through the fine adjustment mechanism; the status indicator lights are used to display the current fusion state; the display screen is electrically connected with the control unit and is used to display the light field distribution image and the fusion parameters.

[0021] The light field detector is composed of a plurality of photoelectric sensor arrays, each of which is arranged in a ring shape to form a multi-layer detection structure for comprehensively capturing the light field distribution characteristics of the optical fiber end face; the base is provided with a detector mounting seat, and the light field detector and the optical microscope are fixed on the detector mounting seat and located above the middle portions of the two clamp supports.

[0022] The fusion execution module further comprises a cooling assembly; the cooling assembly comprises a micro fan and a heat sink; the arc generator is connected with the control unit and can adjust the discharge current and time through the control unit.

[0023] The hollow optical fiber and solid core optical fiber fusion device based on mode matching further comprises a protective cover; the protective cover is arranged outside the light field detector and the electrode head and is used to isolate external light interference and protect the internal elements.

[0024] Further, the arc generator is fixed at the rear portion of the base; the electrode heads are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the optical fiber through supporting arms and are connected with the arc generator; the power module and the control unit are arranged in the base.

[0025] A hollow optical fiber and solid core optical fiber fusion method based on mode matching, which adopts the hollow optical fiber and solid core optical fiber fusion device based on mode matching, comprises the following steps:

[0026] The hollow optical fiber and the solid core optical fiber are fixed in the optical fiber clamp through the optical fiber clamping module, and the fine adjustment knob is used for preliminary alignment.

[0027] The mode matching adjustment module is started, the light field detector collects the light field distribution information of the fiber end face, the optical microscope assists in observing the alignment of the fiber end face, and is transmitted to the mode matching algorithm processing unit for analysis; the mode matching algorithm processing unit calculates the current mode matching degree M according to the mode matching formula, and if the preset threshold is not reached, the fiber clamp 5 is driven by the control unit 8 to perform dynamic adjustment until the mode matching degree meets the requirements;

[0028] The fusion execution module is started, and the control unit adjusts the discharge parameters of the arc generator to generate a high-temperature arc at the electrode head to complete the fusion of the optical fiber;

[0029] After the fusion is completed, the cooling assembly rapidly cools the fused optical fiber;

[0030] The light field detector is used again to detect the light field distribution of the fusion point to evaluate whether the fusion quality meets the standard.

[0031] The present application has the following beneficial effects:

[0032] The present application realizes real-time monitoring and dynamic optimization of the light field distribution of the fiber end face through the mode matching adjustment module, significantly reduces the fusion loss caused by mode mismatch, and cooperates with the fiber clamping module and the fusion execution module to achieve the goal of low-loss fusion. The present fusion method is simple to operate, has low requirements for the operating environment, and has high process stability. While significantly reducing the fusion loss caused by mode mismatch, it can also be well applied to large-scale production environment, effectively improving the quality and efficiency of the fusion of hollow core optical fibers and solid core optical fibers, and meeting the demand of modern optical fiber communication and laser transmission system for high-performance fusion technology. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the hollow core optical fiber and solid core optical fiber fusion device in the embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the fiber clamping module;

[0035] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the installation position and connection relationship of the light field detector and the optical microscope of the mode matching adjustment module;

[0036] Figure 4 It is a structural layout schematic diagram of the arc generator, electrode head and cooling assembly of the fusion execution module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments of the present invention are only used to illustrate the present invention and not to limit the present invention. Various substitutions and modifications made based on ordinary technical knowledge and common practices in the art without departing from the technical concept of the present invention should be included within the scope of the present invention.

[0038] To address the shortcomings of fusion splicing hollow and solid optical fibers, the applicant designed the following solution.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, a pattern-matching-based fusion splicing device for hollow-core and solid-core optical fibers includes:

[0040] Base 1;

[0041] The fiber optic clamping module includes a horizontal moving device and two clamping brackets 3 symmetrically arranged on the horizontal moving device; two fiber optic clamps 5 with fine-tuning mechanisms are symmetrically arranged on the clamping brackets 3; the horizontal moving device is slidably connected to the base 1 and can drive the clamping brackets 3 to move horizontally on the base 1.

[0042] The pattern matching adjustment module includes a light field detector 12, an optical microscope 13, and a pattern matching algorithm processing unit 14 electrically connected to both. The light field detector 12 and the optical microscope 13 are fixedly mounted above the middle of two clamp supports 3. The optical microscope 13 is used to assist in observing the alignment of the fiber end faces. The pattern matching algorithm processing unit 14 is used to analyze and process the light field distribution information collected by the light field detector 12 and the information transmitted by the optical microscope 13.

[0043] The fusion splicing execution module includes an arc generator 16 and an electrode head 17 connected to the arc generator 16; the electrode head 17 is disposed above the optical fiber to be fused to generate a high-temperature arc to achieve optical fiber fusion splicing.

[0044] Power module 7 is used to supply power to the fiber clamping module, the mode matching adjustment module and the fusion splicing execution module;

[0045] The control unit 8 is communicatively connected to the mode matching adjustment module and can drive the fine-tuning mechanism to dynamically adjust the fiber optic clamp 5 until the mode matching degree meets the requirements.

[0046] The overall structure of the device of this invention mainly includes an optical fiber clamping module, a mode matching adjustment module, and a fusion splicing execution module. These modules work together to achieve the goal of low-loss fusion splicing. In specific implementation, the optical fiber clamping module is responsible for fixing the hollow-core fiber and the solid-core fiber and performing initial alignment; the mode matching adjustment module monitors the optical field distribution in real time and optimizes the mode matching through dynamic adjustment; and the fusion splicing execution module completes the final fusion splicing by precisely controlling the arc discharge. A detailed description is provided below according to the module division.

[0047] First, the specific structure of the optical fiber clamping module is shown in Figure 2 The optical fiber clamping module is used to fix the hollow core optical fiber and the solid core optical fiber, and to achieve the preliminary alignment of the optical fiber end face through the fine adjustment mechanism. Among them, the base 1 is the basic support of the whole device, the sliding guide rail 2 is fixed on the base 1, which provides the moving path in the horizontal direction. The clamp support 3 is connected with the sliding guide rail 2 through the sliding block 4, which can move smoothly along the guide rail to adjust the position of the optical fiber. Two optical fiber clamps 5 are symmetrically arranged on the clamp support 3, and each optical fiber clamp 5 is equipped with a fine adjustment knob 6, which can realize micron-level displacement adjustment in three-dimensional direction, so as to ensure the preliminary alignment accuracy of the optical fiber end face. The base 1 is provided with a power module 7 and a control unit 8, the power module 7 supplies power to each module, and the control unit 8 is in communication connection with the mode matching adjustment module to coordinate the working process of each module. The top of the clamp support 3 is also provided with a display screen 9, operation buttons 10 and status indicator lights 11, the display screen 9 displays the light field distribution image and fusion parameters, the operation buttons 10 are used to manually control the movement of the optical fiber clamp 5, and the status indicator lights 11 real-time feedback the current fusion state.

[0048] The core component of the mode matching adjustment module is shown in Figure 3 , which is used to monitor the light field distribution of the optical fiber end face in real time, and to optimize the mode matching by dynamically adjusting the position and angle of the optical fiber. The mode matching adjustment module includes a light field detector 12, an optical microscope 13 and a mode matching algorithm processing unit 14. The light field detector 12 is composed of a plurality of photoelectric sensor arrays, each photoelectric sensor is arranged in a ring shape to form a multi-layer detection structure. For example, each photoelectric sensor can form a three-layer detection structure in a ring shape, which contains 48 photoelectric sensors, and can fully capture the light field distribution characteristics of the optical fiber end face. The light field detector 12 and the optical microscope 13 are fixed on the detector mounting seat 15 and are in electrical connection with the mode matching algorithm processing unit 14. The optical microscope 13 assists in observing the alignment of the optical fiber end face, and the light field distribution information collected by the light field detector 12 is analyzed and processed by the mode matching algorithm processing unit 14.

[0049] The core formula of the mode matching algorithm of the mode matching algorithm processing unit 14 is as follows:

[0050]

[0051] Wherein, M represents the mode matching degree, I1(x,y) and I2(x,y) are the light field intensity distribution functions of the hollow core optical fiber and the solid core optical fiber end face respectively, and A is the effective area of the optical fiber end face; the formula quantifies the mode matching degree by calculating the overlapping degree of the light field distribution of the two optical fiber end faces, and when the M value reaches the preset threshold value, it is considered that the mode matching has been optimized to the best state.

[0052] The structure of the fusion execution module is shown in Figure 4 The fusion execution module is arranged behind the optical fiber clamping module and completes the fusion of the optical fibers by precisely controlling the arc discharge parameters. The fusion execution module includes an arc generator 16, an electrode head 17, and a cooling assembly 18. The arc generator 16 is fixed at the rear of the base 1, and the support arm 19 can be hollow, so that the arc generator 16 is connected with the electrode head 17 through the support arm 19. The electrode head 17 is arranged above the optical fibers to be fused through the support arm 19 and is used to generate a high-temperature arc to realize the fusion of the optical fibers. The cooling assembly 18 is composed of a micro fan 20 and a heat sink 21 and can quickly reduce the temperature of the optical fibers after the fusion is completed, so as to avoid the performance degradation caused by thermal stress. The arc generator 16 can adjust the discharge current and time through the control unit 8, so as to ensure the accuracy and stability of the fusion process. In order to protect the internal elements and isolate the external light interference, a protective cover 22 can also be arranged outside the optical field detector 12 and the electrode head 17.

[0053] In the actual operation process, the specific operation steps of the present application are as follows.

[0054] A mode matching-based hollow optical fiber and solid optical fiber fusion method, comprising the following steps:

[0055] Firstly, the hollow optical fiber and the solid optical fiber are fixed in the two optical fiber clamps 5 through the optical fiber clamping module, and the preliminary alignment is performed by using the fine adjustment knob 6;

[0056] Subsequently, the mode matching adjustment module is started, the optical field distribution information of the optical fiber end face is collected by the optical field detector 12, the optical microscope 13 is used to assist in observing the alignment of the optical fiber end face, and the alignment is transmitted to the mode matching algorithm processing unit 14 for analysis. According to the mode matching formula, the current mode matching degree M is calculated, if the preset threshold is not reached, the optical fiber clamp 5 is driven by the control unit 8 for dynamic adjustment until the mode matching degree meets the requirements;

[0057] Next, the fusion execution module is started, and the control unit 8 adjusts the discharge parameters of the arc generator 16, so that the electrode head 17 generates a high-temperature arc to complete the fusion of the optical fibers;

[0058] After the fusion is completed, the cooling assembly 18 rapidly cools the fused optical fibers;

[0059] Subsequently, the optical field distribution of the fusion point is detected again by using the optical field detector 12 to evaluate whether the fusion quality meets the standard.

[0060] The application scenario of the present application is wide, and it is especially suitable for the demand of high-performance fusion technology in modern optical fiber communication and laser transmission system.For example, in the field of high-power laser transmission, hollow core optical fiber is widely used due to its low nonlinear effect and high damage threshold, but the fusion of hollow core optical fiber and solid core optical fiber often faces the problem of mode mismatch.Through the fusion method and device provided by the present application, the fusion loss can be significantly reduced, and the stability and consistency of the fusion process can be improved, so as to meet the high performance requirements in practical application.In addition, the present application is simple to operate, has high process stability, is suitable for large-scale production environment, and has important practical value and market prospect.

[0061] In summary, through the synergistic effect of the optical fiber clamping module, the mode matching adjustment module and the fusion execution module, the present application realizes the low-loss fusion of hollow core optical fiber and solid core optical fiber, solves the problem of high fusion loss and poor process stability caused by mode mismatch in the prior art.Through real-time monitoring and dynamic optimization of light field distribution, the fusion quality and efficiency are significantly improved, and strong technical support is provided for the further development of optical fiber communication and laser transmission system.

[0062] The above-mentioned non-specific fixed connection can be riveting, welding, bolt coupling and the like, and the movable connection can be hinged connection and the like.

Claims

1. A fusion splicing device for hollow-core optical fibers and solid-core optical fibers based on pattern matching, characterized in that, include: Base (1); The fiber optic clamping module includes a horizontal moving device and two clamping brackets (3) symmetrically arranged on the horizontal moving device; two fiber optic clamps (5) with fine-tuning mechanisms are symmetrically arranged on the clamping brackets (3); the horizontal moving device is slidably connected to the base (1) and can drive the clamping brackets (3) to move horizontally on the base (1); The pattern matching adjustment module includes a light field detector (12), an optical microscope (13), and a pattern matching algorithm processing unit (14) electrically connected to both. The light field detector (12) and the optical microscope (13) are fixedly mounted above the middle of two clamp supports (3). The optical microscope (13) is used to assist in observing the alignment of the fiber end faces. The pattern matching algorithm processing unit (14) is used to analyze and process the light field distribution information collected by the light field detector (12) and the information transmitted by the optical microscope (13). The fusion splicing execution module includes an arc generator (16) and an electrode head (17) connected to the arc generator (16); the electrode head (17) is disposed above the optical fiber to be fused to generate a high-temperature arc to achieve optical fiber fusion splicing. The power module (7) is used to supply power to the fiber clamping module, the mode matching adjustment module and the fusion splicing execution module; The control unit (8) is connected in communication with the mode matching adjustment module and can drive the fine-tuning mechanism to dynamically adjust the fiber optic clamp (5) until the mode matching degree meets the requirements.

2. The fusion splicing device for hollow-core and solid-core optical fibers based on pattern matching according to claim 1, characterized in that, The core formula of the pattern matching algorithm of the pattern matching algorithm processing unit (14) is as follows: Where M represents the mode matching degree, I1(x,y) and I2(x,y) are the light field intensity distribution functions of the hollow fiber and solid fiber end faces, respectively, and A is the effective area of ​​the fiber end face. This formula quantifies the mode matching degree by calculating the degree of overlap of the light field distributions of the two fiber end faces. When the value of M reaches the preset threshold, the mode matching is considered to have been optimized to the best state.

3. The pattern-matching-based fusion splicing device for hollow-core and solid-core optical fibers according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The fine-tuning mechanism is a fine-tuning knob (6) to achieve micron-level displacement adjustment in three-dimensional direction; the control unit (8) is connected to the fine-tuning knob (6).

4. The pattern-matching-based fusion splicing device for hollow-core and solid-core optical fibers according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The horizontal moving device includes a sliding guide rail (2) and a slider (4) that can move horizontally along the sliding guide rail (2); the sliding guide rail (2) is fixed on the base (1), and the clamp bracket (3) is fixed on the slider (4).

5. The pattern-matching-based fusion splicing device for hollow-core and solid-core optical fibers according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The top of the clamp bracket (3) is provided with a display screen (9), an operation button (10) and a status indicator (11); the operation button (10) is used to manually control the movement of the fiber optic clamp (5) through a fine-tuning mechanism; the status indicator (11) is used to display the current splicing status; the display screen (9) is electrically connected to the control unit (8) and is used to display the optical field distribution image and splicing parameters.

6. The pattern-matching-based fusion splicing device for hollow-core and solid-core optical fibers according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The light field detector (12) is composed of multiple photoelectric sensor arrays. Each photoelectric sensor is arranged in a ring to form a multi-layer detection structure, which is used to fully capture the light field distribution characteristics of the fiber end face. The base (1) is provided with a detector mounting seat (15). The light field detector (12) and the optical microscope (13) are fixed on the detector mounting seat (15) and located above the middle of the two clamp brackets (3).

7. The pattern-matching-based fusion splicing device for hollow-core and solid-core optical fibers according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The welding execution module also includes a cooling component (18); the cooling component (18) includes a micro fan (20) and a heat sink (21); the arc generator (16) is connected to the control unit (8) and can adjust the discharge current and time through the control unit (8).

8. The fusion splicing device for hollow-core and solid-core optical fibers based on pattern matching according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a protective cover (22); the protective cover (22) is located outside the light field detector (12) and the electrode head (17) to isolate external light interference and protect internal components.

9. The fusion splicing device for hollow-core and solid-core optical fibers based on pattern matching according to claim 1, characterized in that, The arc generator (16) is fixed at the rear of the base (1); the electrode head (17) is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the optical fiber through the support arm (19) and connected to the arc generator (16); the power module (7) and the control unit (8) are located inside the base (1).

10. A method for fusion splicing hollow-core optical fiber and solid-core optical fiber based on pattern matching, employing the fusion splicing device for hollow-core optical fiber and solid-core optical fiber based on pattern matching as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: Hollow-core and solid-core optical fibers are fixed in the optical fiber clamp (5) using the optical fiber clamping module, and preliminary alignment is performed using the fine-tuning knob (6). The mode matching adjustment module is activated, the optical field detector (12) collects the optical field distribution information of the fiber end face, the optical microscope (13) assists in observing the alignment of the fiber end face, and transmits it to the mode matching algorithm processing unit (14) for analysis; the mode matching algorithm processing unit (14) calculates the current mode matching degree \(M\) according to the mode matching formula. If the preset threshold is not reached, the fiber clamp 5 is dynamically adjusted by the control unit 8 until the mode matching degree meets the requirements. Start the fusion splicing execution module, and the control unit (8) adjusts the discharge parameters of the arc generator (16) to generate a high-temperature arc on the electrode head (17) to complete the fiber optic fusion splicing; After the fusion splicing is completed, the cooling component (18) rapidly cools down the fused optical fiber; The light field distribution at the weld point is detected again using the light field detector (12) to assess whether the weld quality meets the standard.

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