High-power cladding online power stripping protection device and method

Abstract

The invention discloses a high-power cladding online power stripping protection device and method, and relates to the technical field of optical fiber laser devices, the high-power cladding online power stripping protection device comprises at least one protection shell, the at least one protection shell is of a semi-enclosed structure, and the minimum size of an inner cavity of the at least one protection shell or an inner cavity formed by splicing multiple protection shells is larger than the outer diameter of a target optical fiber. The width of the notch of the protective shell is larger than the outer diameter of the target optical fiber, so that the target optical fiber can enter the inner cavity of the protective shell through the notch, the protective shell is further arranged outside the target optical fiber in a sleeving mode, and the two ends of the protective shell are fixedly connected to the two ends of the microstructure area of the target optical fiber respectively. According to the invention, the application scene and the operation convenience of the high-power cladding power stripper can be improved, online stripping is realized, the operation is convenient, no welding point exists, the limitation of the length is avoided, and the defect that the welding point and the length are limited when offline manufacturing is required in the application process of an axial sleeving method can be overcome.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of fiber laser devices, and in particular to a high-power cladding online power stripping protection device and method. Background Technology

[0002] Optical fibers are typically cylindrical, consisting of a core, a quartz cladding, and an acrylate polymer coating, with the optical refractive index decreasing sequentially from the inside out. High-quality target lasers propagate within the core, while low-quality accompanying lasers typically propagate within the quartz cladding. No laser propagation occurs within the coating. For a laser to propagate stably within an inner layer, the refractive indices (ninner and nouter) at the interface between the inner and outer layers must satisfy the requirement of total internal reflection, and the media on both sides of the interface must maintain good flatness and homogeneity. Therefore, for a cladding laser to propagate stably in an optical fiber, the refractive index and interface homogeneity at the interface between the outer side of the cladding and the inner side of the coating must both meet the propagation requirements. If it is necessary to remove the cladding laser to prevent its propagation, this condition must be disrupted.

[0003] The function of the cladding power stripping device in a high-power fiber laser is to strip away residual low-quality laser power from the fiber cladding. It is commonly used to remove unabsorbed residual pump laser power or some higher-order modes leaking into the cladding after core laser mode degradation. In high-power fiber lasers, the laser power in the cladding can reach hundreds of watts or more, requiring careful handling. The benefits are twofold: first, it removes low-quality laser power from the cladding that easily induces heating in fiber devices or fiber splices, keeping the overall laser temperature low and significantly increasing the laser's operating power without changing the material's thermal load capacity; second, it removes redundant higher-order mode components from the cladding without affecting the fundamental mode transmission in the core, "shaping" the output laser morphology and maintaining relatively high laser quality.

[0004] Based on the premise that cladding lasers can be stably transmitted through optical fibers, two different approaches exist in the fabrication of cladding power stripping devices: optical adhesive coating or microstructure treatment of the bare fiber surface. The former involves removing the coating layer from a localized area along the fiber axial direction and applying a high-refractive-index adhesive to the outer surface of the cladding, thus disrupting the total internal reflection condition at the outer interface of the cladding. The latter involves, after removing the coating layer, using techniques such as etching, ablation, or laser treatment to create a non-smooth surface on the outer cladding, disrupting the interface uniformity and forming a rough structure (often called a "cladding etch zone") or a periodic structure (often called a "cladding channel region" or "cladding groove region"), thereby disrupting the total internal reflection condition on the outer side of the cladding. In the field of high-power fiber lasers, due to the limited thermal load capacity of adhesives, a microstructure treatment approach is typically used.

[0005] In practical fabrication and use, the microstructure region lacks the protection of the coating layer, and the diameter of the etched microstructure region decreases, making the entire structure extremely fragile and prone to breakage. Therefore, protective measures and devices are typically required for engineering applications. The most common method is to use a transparent, rigid protective tube to encase the microstructure region. The material of the protective tube must maintain high transmittance and low loss characteristics to lasers; therefore, quartz glass is a suitable medium. The inner diameter of the protective tube is usually slightly larger than the outer diameter of the fiber coating, and its length is slightly longer than the length of the microstructure region. Liquid adhesive is added to both ends of the protective tube to fill the gap between the coating and the protective tube, and then ultraviolet light is used for curing, tightly connecting the protective tube and the fiber coating together. This achieves protection of the microstructure region, and this solution has been widely used in fiber lasers. However, since both the fiber and the protective tube are tubular, and the inner diameter of the protective tube is only slightly larger than the diameter of the coating layer, the protective tube must be inserted from the open end of the fiber carrying the microstructure region. Furthermore, this end cannot be connected to any other device larger than the inner diameter of the protective tube; otherwise, the protective tube cannot be inserted into the fiber.

[0006] Although this method is very simple and effective in practical use, its drawback is that the movement of the protective tube requires one end of the optical fiber to be at least open and cannot be connected to any other devices larger than the inner diameter of the protective tube. Even if such devices are connected, the entire optical fiber must first be broken, and the protective tube must be inserted after the cladding power stripper is fabricated before it can be fused into the system. Because this method requires at least one end to remain open and not connected to the laser system, it is also called the offline fabrication method. However, this operational characteristic presents two challenges for fiber laser research and engineering applications: First, when other devices are present on both sides of the optical fiber, it must be disconnected before fusion splicing, which adds an extra fusion point to the system. Practical research has shown that after diffusion at the fusion point, the medium on both sides can never maintain the same medium consistency and homogeneity as the original fiber. Changes in refractive index cause laser mode field distortion and transmission loss. Laser mode coupling is highly sensitive to this, often resulting in more severe excitation of higher-order modes and significant laser mode degradation. Second, the fusion point generates a very weak reflected light propagating in the opposite direction of the fiber. Under normal circumstances, this feedback does not cause significant effects, but in single-frequency or extremely narrow-linewidth fiber lasers, this feedback enhances the stimulated Brillouin effect, significantly lowering the laser threshold. Finally, in some very precise measurement experiments, it is necessary to compare the output laser performance with and without a cladding power stripper under a precise controlled variable method to analyze the laser operation state in the fiber. However, the added fusion point leads to a non-uniform system state. Besides the presence or absence of the cladding power stripper, there is also a difference in the fusion point, making the measurement results unattributable to the influence of the cladding power stripper.

[0007] Secondly, in certain special cases, the length of the fiber optic pigtail is very short, which does not meet the length requirements for splicing after disconnection after fabricating the microstructure region. Limited by the length requirements of the integration equipment (cutting and splicing), the fiber pigtails on both sides need to be at least 15cm long during fiber optic splicing. This requires the fiber to be at least 30cm long before disconnection after deducting the microstructure region. However, research has found that stimulated Brillouin and stimulated Raman scattering effects are very sensitive to fiber length, and in practice, the fiber pigtail needs to be shortened to its limit. When the fiber pigtail length is very short, it is usually difficult to meet the aforementioned longer fiber length requirements.

[0008] These two challenges have created certain application bottlenecks for the axial insertion method. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a high-power cladding online power stripping protection device or method to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide a high-power cladding online power stripping protection device and method to solve the problems existing in the prior art, enabling the high-power cladding power stripper to strip online, which is convenient to operate, has no welding points, and is not limited by length.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: This invention provides a high-power cladding online power stripping protection device, comprising at least one protective shell, wherein the at least one protective shell has a semi-enclosed structure, and the minimum size of the inner cavity of the at least one protective shell or the inner cavity formed by splicing multiple protective shells is larger than the outer diameter of the target optical fiber, and the notch width of the protective shell is larger than the outer diameter of the optical fiber, so that the target optical fiber can enter the inner cavity of the protective shell through the notch, thereby allowing the protective shell to be fitted over the target optical fiber, and the two ends of the protective shell are respectively fixedly connected to the two ends of the microstructure region of the target optical fiber.

[0011] Preferably, it also includes at least one sealing element, and all the protective shells and the sealing elements can be sealed together to form an internally hollow tube.

[0012] Preferably, the cross-section of the inner cavity of the tube is circular, elliptical, polygonal, or irregular; the width of the notch is at least 40 μm greater than the outer diameter of the target optical fiber.

[0013] Preferably, the protective shell is a single piece, the sealing element is a single point, and the notch is provided on the side wall of the protective shell, the notch being sealed and connected by the sealing element.

[0014] Preferably, the protective shell consists of two pieces, which are sealed and bonded together by an adhesive; the adhesive includes any one of acrylic UV adhesive, epoxy UV adhesive, silicone UV adhesive, or cyanoacrylate adhesive.

[0015] Preferably, the sealing element is an adhesive or a filler, the filler being made of the same material as the protective shell, and the filler being bonded to the notch of the protective shell by the adhesive.

[0016] Preferably, the sealing element is located on both sides or below the target optical fiber.

[0017] Preferably, the protective shell is made of any one of quartz, acrylic, or Teflon; both ends of the protective shell are sealed and bonded to the coating layer of the target optical fiber by an adhesive, and a gap is provided between the protective shell and the coating layer.

[0018] This invention also relates to a high-power cladding online power stripping protection method, which, based on the above-mentioned high-power cladding online power stripping protection device, specifically includes the following steps: S1. Select a microstructure region of appropriate length on the target optical fiber, remove the coating layer of the microstructure region to expose the cladding, fabricate the microstructure on the outer surface of the cladding, process the outer surface of the cladding into a non-flat surface, and then clean the outer surface of the cladding. S2. Select a protective shell with an appropriate inner cavity size according to the size of the target optical fiber. If the gap of the protective shell is large and needs to be sealed, select a filler with a size that matches the gap and prepare an adhesive. S3, Select a position where the coating layers on both sides of the microstructure region are intact, insert the target optical fiber into the inner cavity of the protective shell through the notch, and move the protective shell to the microstructure region along the axis of the target optical fiber so that the protective shell covers the microstructure region and both ends of the protective shell are in contact with the coating layer; S4. Rotate the protective shell until the notch is located on both sides or below the target optical fiber. First, bond the two ends of the protective shell to the coating layer with an adhesive. Then, seal the notch with a filler or adhesive. All adhesives are UV cured.

[0019] Preferably, the fabrication length of the microstructure region is proportional to the optical power of the cladding; the length of the protective shell is at least 1 cm longer than the length of the microstructure region; when the notch width is greater than 1 mm, a filler or two pieces of the protective shell are selected.

[0020] The present invention achieves the following technical effects compared to the prior art: The high-power cladding online power stripping protection device and method of the present invention can improve the application scenarios and operational convenience of high-power cladding power strippers, and effectively avoid the degradation of performance parameters such as increased nonlinear effects, decreased beam quality, and decreased system threshold power caused by the increase in the length of the pigtail and the number of fusion splices during the experimental research or use of fiber lasers. It can realize online stripping, is easy to operate, and has no fusion splices, and is not limited by length. It can solve the shortcomings of the axial insertion method, which has the limitation of fusion splices and length when it must be fabricated offline during application. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the high-power cladding online power stripping protection device in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the high-power cladding online power stripping protection device in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram of the high-power cladding online power stripping protection device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the high-power cladding online power stripping protection device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the high-power cladding online power stripping protection device in Embodiment 3 of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the high-power cladding online power stripping protection device in Embodiment 3 of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the high-power cladding online power stripping protection device in Embodiment 3 of the present invention; In the diagram: 1-protective shell, 2-notch, 3-adhesive, 4-filler, 5-target optical fiber, 6-microstructure region. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," "front," "rear," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating directional or positional relationships, are based on the directional or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0025] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0026] The purpose of this invention is to provide a high-power cladding online power stripping protection device and method to solve the problems existing in the prior art, enabling the high-power cladding power stripper to strip online, which is convenient to operate, has no welding points, and is not limited by length.

[0027] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0028] Example 1 like Figures 1 to 7As shown, this embodiment provides a high-power cladding online power stripping protection device, including at least one protective shell 1. The at least one protective shell 1 has a semi-enclosed structure. The minimum size of the inner cavity of the at least one protective shell 1, or the inner cavity formed by splicing multiple protective shells 1, is larger than the outer diameter of the target optical fiber 5. Furthermore, the width of the notch 2 in the protective shell 1 is larger than the outer diameter of the target optical fiber 5, allowing the target optical fiber 5 to enter the inner cavity of the protective shell 1 through the notch 2. This allows the protective shell 1 to be fitted over the target optical fiber 5. Both ends of the protective shell 1 are fixedly connected to both ends of the microstructure region 6 of the target optical fiber 5. When the target optical fiber 5 is used under low-power or stable clean conditions, since the size of the notch 2 itself is small, it has no fundamental impact on stability and reliability, and the notch 2 does not need to be sealed; it can be used directly. If necessary, the protective shell 1 can be bonded, welded, or subjected to other heat treatment or chemical treatment methods to achieve the functions of sealing and structural reinforcement. The high-power cladding online power stripping protection device and method of this embodiment can improve the application scenarios and ease of operation of the high-power cladding power stripper, realize online stripping, and is easy to operate. It also has no welding points and is not limited by length.

[0029] As an optional solution, this embodiment also includes at least one sealing element, and all the protective shells 1 and the sealing elements can be sealed together to form a hollow tube. Due to engineering requirements or the need to meet certain environmental adaptability conditions, in order to prevent serious consequences caused by dust falling in or structural instability due to vibration, it is necessary to seal the gap 2. The sealing methods may include fusion welding, adhesive sealing 3, and filler 4 sealing, but contact with the microstructure area 6 should be avoided to prevent heat damage.

[0030] As an optional solution, in this embodiment, the cross-section of the inner cavity of the fitting can be circular, elliptical, polygonal, or irregular, as long as the shape can achieve the protective function; the width of the notch 2 is at least 40 μm greater than the outer diameter of the target optical fiber 5, so that the target optical fiber 5 can enter the notch 2 without touching the microstructure.

[0031] As an optional solution, in this embodiment, the sealing component is an adhesive or a filler 4. The filler 4 is made of the same material as the protective shell 1, and the filler 4 is bonded to the notch 2 of the protective shell 1 by the adhesive. The wall thickness of the protective shell 1 is 0.5mm-1mm, mainly for its portability, and there are generally no special requirements for the wall thickness of the protective shell 1.

[0032] As an optional solution, the adhesive in this embodiment includes any one of acrylic UV adhesive, epoxy UV adhesive, silicone UV adhesive, or cyanoacrylate adhesive. The adhesive is mainly an adhesive that can be quickly cured under UV light irradiation, or a high-viscosity / paste-type instant adhesive. It can complete the initial curing within a few seconds to one minute under normal room temperature (21°C) and medium humidity, with a shorter curing time and higher work efficiency.

[0033] As an optional solution, in this embodiment, the sealing components are located on both sides or below the target optical fiber 5. The target optical fiber 5 can be inserted vertically from the side, or inserted in other non-vertical directions, such as oblique insertion from the side. It is optimal for the notch 2 to be vertically downward along the direction of gravity. If there is too much adhesive 3 at the notch 2 and it has not yet cured, it will easily fall onto the internal microstructure area 6 due to gravity, causing the microstructure to malfunction and the device to be unusable. The notch 2 facing downward can avoid this problem. After the adhesive 3 is filled, it should be cured and formed as soon as possible.

[0034] As an optional solution, the material of the protective shell 1 in this embodiment includes any one of quartz, acrylic or Teflon; it can also be any other material with similar protective functions and high transparency and low damage characteristics.

[0035] As an optional solution, in this embodiment, the two ends of the protective shell 1 are sealed and bonded to the coating layer of the target optical fiber 5 with adhesive, and a gap is provided between the protective shell 1 and the coating layer. Specifically, the middle region of the protective shell 1, i.e., the two ends of the target optical fiber 5 carrying the microstructure, needs to be straightened for adhesive application, and the protective shell 1 does not contact the cladding layer.

[0036] This embodiment of the high-power cladding online power stripping protection device can be applied to semi-fiber optical systems such as solid-state lasers, space lasers, or fiber combining systems. It enhances the application scenarios and operational convenience of high-power cladding power strippers, enabling online stripping with ease of operation. It eliminates splice points and is not limited by length, overcoming the limitations of axial insertion methods which require offline fabrication and are subject to splice point and length constraints. This embodiment allows for the addition of a cladding optical stripper (CPS) to a fiber laser without altering the fiber length or adding additional splices. Therefore, during comparative experiments, it reduces the impact of fiber length, splice points, and other factors on technical specifications. This method allows for splicing first, followed by CPS fabrication and protection, resulting in shorter power transmission fibers for fiber lasers. This helps suppress nonlinear effects such as stimulated Brillouin and stimulated Raman spectroscopy, leading to higher power and higher signal-to-noise ratio laser output.

[0037] Example 2 As an alternative, such as Figures 4 to 5As shown, in this embodiment, the protective shell 1 is a single piece, and the sealing component is a single point. A notch 2 is provided on the side wall of the protective shell 1, and the notch 2 is sealed and connected by the sealing component. The protective shell 1 is a cylindrical tube with a continuous notch 2 on its side wall. The sealing component for the notch 2 is an adhesive, which is directly bonded and then cured with ultraviolet light. This method is suitable for large-diameter optical fibers with an outer diameter of less than 1 mm, and the operation is simple and quick.

[0038] If the width of the notch 2 is greater than 1mm, the sealing component can use a filler 4 made of the same material as the protective shell 1. The filler 4 is bonded to the notch 2 of the protective shell 1 with an adhesive. Note that when applying the adhesive, it should be placed on one side of the target optical fiber 5 to avoid the adhesive dripping onto the target optical fiber 5.

[0039] Example 3 As an alternative, such as Figures 5 to 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the protective shell 1 consists of two pieces, which are sealed and bonded together with an adhesive. Each protective shell 1 can have a semi-circular cross-section, which, when joined together, forms a cylindrical tube. During encapsulation, the two semi-circular protective shells 1 are arranged vertically, with the joints located horizontally. After applying the adhesive 3, it is ensured that the adhesive 3 will not fall onto the internal fiber microstructure area 6. Alternatively, the first protective shell 1 can be a semi-enclosed structure, and the second protective shell 1 can be a straight plate. After the target fiber 5 enters the semi-enclosed protective shell 1, the straight plate is used to seal and bond it to the notch 2 with adhesive. Finally, ultraviolet curing is performed. This method is suitable for large-diameter fibers and ultra-large-size fibers with an outer diameter greater than 1 mm, and the operation is simple and quick.

[0040] As a special case, the filler 4 can also be a second protective shell 1. It is more convenient to use a second protective shell 1 when the gap 2 is large. Note that when applying the adhesive, it should be placed on one side of the target optical fiber 5 to avoid the adhesive dripping onto the target optical fiber 5.

[0041] Example 4 This embodiment provides a high-power cladding online power stripping protection method, based on the above-mentioned high-power cladding online power stripping protection device, specifically including the following steps: S1. Select a microstructure region 6 of appropriate length on the target optical fiber 5, remove the coating layer of the microstructure region 6 to expose the cladding, fabricate the microstructure on the outer surface of the cladding, process the outer surface of the cladding into a non-flat surface, and then clean the outer surface of the cladding. Generally, an etching solution is applied to the cladding, and after etching for several tens of minutes, the etching solution processes the outer surface of the cladding into a non-flat surface, destroying the uniformity of the interface, and then the etching solution is washed away with deionized water.

[0042] S2. Select a protective shell 1 with an appropriate inner cavity size according to the size of the target optical fiber 5. If the gap 2 of the protective shell 1 is large and needs to be sealed, select a filler 4 with a size that matches the gap 2 and prepare adhesive 3.

[0043] S3, select a position where the coating layers on both sides of the microstructure region 6 are intact, insert the target optical fiber 5 into the inner cavity of the protective shell 1 through the notch 2, and move the protective shell 1 to the microstructure region 6 along the axial direction of the target optical fiber 5 so that the protective shell 1 covers the microstructure region 6 and both ends of the protective shell 1 are in contact with the coating layer; ensure that both ends of the protective shell 1 are in contact with the coating layer rather than with the microstructure region 6.

[0044] S4, rotate the protective shell 1 until the notch 2 is located on both sides or below the target optical fiber 5. First, bond the two ends of the protective shell 1 to the coating layer with adhesive, and then seal the notch 2 with filler 4 or adhesive 3. All adhesives 3 are treated with ultraviolet light curing.

[0045] As an optional solution, in this embodiment, the fabrication length of the microstructure region 6 is proportional to the optical power of the cladding; the length of the protective shell 1 is at least 1 cm longer than the length of the microstructure region 6, and each side of the microstructure region 6 occupies 1 cm. In this embodiment, the protective shell 1 is preferably selected according to the type and diameter of the target optical fiber 5. The length of the protective shell 1 is greater than the length of the microstructure region 6, and each side occupies 1 cm, so that the microstructure region 6 is located in the middle of the protective shell 1, and a space is reserved for dispensing adhesive. First, a suitable notch 2 needs to be selected according to the diameter of the target optical fiber 5. When the width of the notch 2 is less than 1 mm, a single protective shell 1 with a single notch 2 can be used and sealed with adhesive. When the width of the notch 2 is greater than 1 mm, a filler 4 or multiple protective shells 1 can be used. If the protective shell 1 is a circular tube with an inner diameter d10 ≥ 3 mm, the width d9 of the notch 2 is slightly larger than the diameter d3 of the coating layer of the target optical fiber 5 (d9 ≈ d3 + 50 μm).

[0046] The above embodiments of the present invention provide a high-power cladding online power stripping protection device and method, which can be applied to replacing quartz optical fiber with any other optical fiber, such as fluoride optical fiber, photonic crystal optical fiber, photonic bandgap optical fiber, and hollow core optical fiber. It solves the shortcomings of the axial insertion method, which requires offline fabrication in application. It can directly fabricate a high-power cladding power stripper with a side-mounted protective shell 1 on the optical fiber when the length of the target optical fiber 5 is limited or the melting point is not increased. This improves the application scenarios and convenience of the high-power cladding power stripper, improves the experimental technology in fiber laser research, and has extremely strong engineering application value.

[0047] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "this embodiment," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the described embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0048] Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this invention. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this invention. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that, based on the ideas of this invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

Claims

1. A high-power cladding online power stripping protection device, characterized in that: It includes at least one protective shell, at least one of the protective shells is a semi-enclosed structure, the minimum size of the inner cavity of at least one of the protective shells or the inner cavity formed by splicing multiple protective shells is larger than the outer diameter of the target optical fiber, and the width of the notch of the protective shell is larger than the outer diameter of the optical fiber, so that the target optical fiber can enter the inner cavity of the protective shell through the notch, thereby allowing the protective shell to be fitted over the target optical fiber, and the two ends of the protective shell are respectively fixedly connected to the two ends of the microstructure region of the target optical fiber.

2. The high-power cladding online power stripping protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes at least one sealing element, and all of the protective shells and the sealing elements can be sealed together to form a hollow tube.

3. The high-power cladding online power stripping protection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cross-section of the inner cavity of the tube is circular, elliptical, polygonal, or irregular; the width of the notch is at least 40 μm greater than the outer diameter of the target optical fiber.

4. The high-power cladding online power stripping protection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The protective shell is a single piece, and the sealing element is a single point. The notch is provided on the side wall of the protective shell, and the notch is sealed and connected by the sealing element.

5. The high-power cladding online power stripping protection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The protective shell consists of two pieces, which are sealed and bonded together by an adhesive; the adhesive includes any one of acrylic UV adhesive, epoxy UV adhesive, silicone UV adhesive, or cyanoacrylate adhesive.

6. The high-power cladding online power stripping protection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sealing component is an adhesive or a filler. The filler is made of the same material as the protective shell, and the filler is bonded to the notch of the protective shell by the adhesive.

7. The high-power cladding online power stripping protection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sealing components are located on either side or below the target optical fiber.

8. The high-power cladding online power stripping protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protective shell is made of any one of quartz, acrylic, or Teflon; both ends of the protective shell are sealed to the coating layer of the target optical fiber by an adhesive, and a gap is provided between the protective shell and the coating layer.

9. A high-power cladding online power stripping protection method, based on the high-power cladding online power stripping protection device according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Specifically, the steps include the following: S1. Select a microstructure region of appropriate length on the target optical fiber, remove the coating layer of the microstructure region to expose the cladding, fabricate the microstructure on the outer surface of the cladding, process the outer surface of the cladding into a non-flat surface, and then clean the outer surface of the cladding. S2. Select a protective shell with an appropriate inner cavity size according to the size of the target optical fiber. If the gap of the protective shell is large and needs to be sealed, select a filler with a size that matches the gap and prepare an adhesive. S3, Select a position where the coating layers on both sides of the microstructure region are intact, insert the target optical fiber into the inner cavity of the protective shell through the notch, and move the protective shell to the microstructure region along the axis of the target optical fiber so that the protective shell covers the microstructure region and both ends of the protective shell are in contact with the coating layer; S4. Rotate the protective shell until the notch is located on both sides or below the target optical fiber. First, bond the two ends of the protective shell to the coating layer with an adhesive. Then, seal the notch with a filler or adhesive. All adhesives are UV cured.

10. The high-power cladding online power stripping protection method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The fabrication length of the microstructure region is proportional to the optical power of the cladding; the length of the protective shell is at least 1 cm longer than the length of the microstructure region; when the notch width is greater than 1 mm, a filler or two pieces of the protective shell are selected.

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