Optical Fiber Protection Structure for High-Temperature Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical fiber protection structures fail to mitigate deterioration of optical characteristics under high-temperature environments due to anisotropic stresses caused by resin expansion and shrinkage, which can lead to microbend and light leakage issues.
Innovation Solution
An optical fiber protection structure with a fiber accommodation portion and seal resins that are spaced from the inner surface of the fiber accommodation groove to prevent anisotropic stress, using a refractive index lower than the cladding and thermal conductivity higher than the cladding and covering to prevent light leakage and dissipate heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If resins are filled within the fiber accommodation groove to seal boundary portions, then moisture is prevented from being introduced, but anisotropic compressive stresses are applied to optical fibers when resins expand under high-temperature environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the seal resin from direct contact with the optical fiber by positioning it in the groove rather than filling it against the fiber. This removes the harmful anisotropic stress while preserving the moisture sealing function, as the resin seals the boundary between the optical fiber and external environment without applying compressive force to the fiber itself
Solution Approach 2:
The groove acts as an intermediary structure that allows the seal resin to perform its moisture prevention function while isolating it from direct contact with the optical fiber. This mediator structure enables the resin to expand and contract without transferring anisotropic stresses to the fiber, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing effectiveness and stress application
2Reliability
If resins are filled within the fiber accommodation groove to seal boundary portions, then moisture is prevented from being introduced, but microbend is caused to the optical fibers due to anisotropic stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the seal resin from direct contact with the optical fiber by positioning it in the groove rather than filling it against the fiber. This removes the harmful anisotropic stress while preserving the moisture sealing function, as the resin seals the boundary between the optical fiber and external environment without applying compressive force to the fiber itself
Solution Approach 2:
The groove acts as an intermediary structure that allows the seal resin to perform its moisture prevention function while isolating it from direct contact with the optical fiber. This mediator structure enables the resin to expand and contract without transferring anisotropic stresses to the fiber, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing effectiveness and stress application
3Strength
If conventional optical fiber protection structure is used, then bare fiber exposure portions are protected from external forces, but portions between bare fiber exposure portions and coverings are bared allowing moisture introduction
Solution Approach 1:
The groove structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical protection to the optical fiber from external forces while also enabling moisture sealing through the resin. This multi-functional design resolves the contradiction by making the same structural element responsible for both protection and sealing
Solution Approach 2:
The groove acts as an intermediary structure that allows the seal resin to perform its moisture prevention function while isolating it from direct contact with the optical fiber. This mediator structure enables the resin to expand and contract without transferring anisotropic stresses to the fiber, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing effectiveness and stress application
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
The solution effectively prevents microbend and deterioration of optical characteristics by allowing isotropic expansion of seal resins and efficient heat dissipation, maintaining optical fiber integrity under high-temperature conditions.
Implementation Method 1
those resins 640A and 640B are formed of a material having a low refractive index in order to prevent light propagating through the optical fibers 611 and 612 from leaking into the structure 600
Implementation Method 2
thermal conductivity higher than the cladding and the covering to prevent light leakage and dissipate heat
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an optical fiber protection structure capable of mitigating deterioration of optical characteristics of an optical fiber under a high-temperature environment and a method of manufacturing an optical element using the same. An optical combiner structure protects bare fiber exposure portions in which bare fibers are exposed from the coverings of optical fibers. The optical combiner structure has a fiber accommodation portion having a fiber accommodation groove that accommodates the bare fiber exposure portions therein, fixation resins filled within the fiber accommodation groove for fixing a portion of the coverings within the fiber accommodation groove, and seal resins for sealing spaces between the bare fibers and the coverings on ends of the bare fiber exposure portions. The seal resins are formed so as to be spaced from an inner surface of the fiber accommodation groove.