Optical Fiber Coating Stripping via Blue-Violet Laser
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for stripping the coating from optical fibers, such as mechanical tools and laser-based techniques, face challenges in field deployment due to cost, size, weight, and power consumption, and often cause damage to the bare fiber section.
Innovation Solution
A non-contact method using blue or blue-violet radiation to selectively damage and disintegrate the coating, employing focused and defocused radiation beams to exceed and then reduce intensity beyond the optical-damage threshold, allowing precise coating removal without mechanical harm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If mechanical stripping tools are used, then the equipment can be compact and low cost, but the bare fiber section becomes damaged and weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical stripping tools with a laser-based system that uses optical radiation to remove coating. The laser beam irradiates the coating material, causing it to heat up and disintegrate through ablation, thereby eliminating mechanical contact with the fiber and preventing damage to the bare fiber section.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser irradiation causes the coating material to undergo phase transitions from solid to liquid and then to vapor through heating. This thermal process allows the coating to be removed without mechanical force, protecting the underlying fiber from damage while achieving complete coating removal.
2Reliability
If CO2 laser-based stripping is used, then precise coating removal without mechanical damage is achieved, but the equipment becomes too expensive and large for field deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter of the laser from infrared (CO2 laser at 10.6 μm) to visible blue or blue-violet range (405-480 nm). This parameter change allows the use of smaller, more portable laser diodes while maintaining effective coating removal. The visible wavelength range provides sufficient energy to damage the coating's molecular structure without requiring the large, expensive CO2 laser system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise and damage-free stripping of optical fiber coatings, facilitating field deployment with a compact, portable system that effectively exposes the central glass portion without mechanical stress.
Implementation Method 1
irradiating the damaged coating portion with the at least one beam of radiation to cause the damaged coating to absorb a portion of the radiation and to subsequently heat up and disintegrate
Implementation Method 2
forming at least one first focused radiation beam having the processing wavelength and having a depth of focus, a spot size that is less than the diameter of the coating within the depth of focus, and an intensity greater than the optical-damage threshold intensity
Implementation Method 3
defocusing the at least one focused radiation beam to define at least one defocused radiation beam having an intensity that is less than the optical-damage threshold intensity
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for stripping an optical fiber coating using blue or blue-violet radiation are disclosed. The method includes irradiating a portion of the coating with at least one radiation beam having a processing wavelength in the range of 400 nm to 460 nm for which the coating is substantially transparent. The intensity of the radiation beam exceeds the optical-damage threshold of the coating, and thereby a damaged coating portion that absorbs radiation at the processing wavelength is formed. The damaged coating portion is then irradiated with the radiation beam having an intensity below the optical-damage threshold to cause the damaged coating portion to absorb the radiation and to subsequently heat up and disintegrate to expose a section of the central glass portion of the optical fiber.