Optical Fiber Connection With Protective Medium

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Solution Overview

Problem

Optical fibers connected using direct optical contact techniques experience damage due to chemical reactions with oxides at the abutting ends, leading to increased optical loss and reduced reliability, especially when exposed to short-wavelength light or high energy density.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a protective medium, such as a fluoride film, between the abutting ends of optical fibers to prevent chemical reactions and minimize surface unevenness, allowing for stable and reusable connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If direct optical contact is used to connect optical fibers, then optical propagation efficiency is improved, but chemical reactions occur at the abutting ends causing damage and increased optical loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptical propagation efficiencyVSAvoidconnection reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A protective medium is introduced between the abutting ends of optical fibers to prevent direct contact. This intermediary layer suppresses chemical reactions between oxide surfaces while maintaining optical transmission, thereby preventing damage to the abutting ends and ensuring long-term connection reliability without significantly compromising optical propagation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If UV cleaning is performed to remove organic materials, then contamination is reduced, but chemical reactions with oxides still occur causing fiber damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorganic material contaminationVSAvoidfiber durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The protective medium serves as a barrier that prevents direct interaction between cleaned oxide surfaces. Even after UV cleaning removes organic contaminants, the protective medium prevents subsequent chemical reactions between exposed oxide surfaces, thereby protecting the fiber ends from damage and maintaining connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective medium creates an inert environment between the optical fiber ends, preventing chemical reactions with oxygen and other reactive species. This inert barrier protects the cleaned oxide surfaces from undergoing harmful chemical reactions that would otherwise occur even after thorough cleaning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

3Power

If short-wavelength light is used for high energy applications, then power transmission is improved, but chemical reactions and damage at abutting ends increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight power transmissionVSAvoidchemical reaction damage

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The protective medium acts as a shield between high-power short-wavelength light sources and the optical fiber abutting ends. It prevents the concentrated energy from inducing chemical reactions at the fiber interfaces, thereby enabling high power transmission without compromising fiber integrity or causing damage at connection points.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 protective medium effectively suppresses chemical reactions and maintains low optical loss, ensuring stable performance and reliability of the optical connections even under high energy or short-wavelength light conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a protective medium which is arranged between the light-exit end and the light-entrance end, and suppresses fixing together of the light-exit end and the light-entrance end

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical reaction suppression:

Implementation Method 2

the protective medium which is transparent, arranged between the light-exit end and the light-entrance end

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight transmission:

Data Source

PatentUS7653275B2Optical device having connections with optical members through protective medium

Publication Date: 2010.01.26 ADTEC ENG

AI summary

An optical device includes: a first optical member having a light-exit end at which light exits the first optical member; a second optical member having a light-entrance end which abuts the light-exit end through a protective medium and from which the light enters the second optical member; and the protective medium which is arranged between the light-exit end and the light-entrance end, and suppresses fixing together of the light-exit end and the light-entrance end. Specifically, the protective medium is transparent and arranged between the light-exit end and the light-entrance end, and is reusable even after the light-exit end and the light-entrance end are pressed together with a pressure of approximately 0.5 or 1 kgf and are then separated from each other.