JPS6146908A - Optical fiber end face processing jig - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To radiate efficiently heat at the time of an excessive rise of temperature of a heater, to prevent it from being damaged, and also to shorten the temperature fall time by covering a glass substrate with a substance having high thermal conductivity by leaving a position where the end face of an optical fiber is pressure-welded. CONSTITUTION:The end face of a strand 13 which has been peeled off by removing slightly a covering 12 of an optical fiber is pressure-welded and fixed to the front of a glass substrate 6 of an end face processing jig, pressed against a strand pressure welding position, a heater 4 provided on the glass rear surface part is brought to electric conduction, and the end face of the strand 13 is melted and finished to a specular state. Also, a heat radiating layer 9 consisting of a substance having high thermal conductivity is formed on the front part of the glass substrate by leaving a position where the end face of a fiber is welded by pressure, therefore, heat being in the vicinity of the heater is dispersed quickly, an excessive rise of temperature of the heater 4 is prevented and its damage is prevented, and also the temperature fall time can be shortened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a jig for processing the end face of an optical fiber using a plastic fiber.

[Background technology]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, optical transmission technology using glass fibers has made remarkable progress in optical communication systems and the like. In addition to the above-mentioned glass fibers, plastic fibers are also available as optical fibers that serve as light transmission media, but their practical use has lagged behind that of glass fibers. Other components for optical communication systems that use plastic fiber as a transmission medium include optical connectors for connections, optical splitters, optical demultiplexers/multiplexers, optical switches, and optical modules (optical-electrical/electrical-optical converters). vessel)
etc. are necessary.

When connecting plastic fibers, it is necessary to treat the end face of the plastic fiber, but conventionally the end face of the plastic fiber was subjected to RIJF polishing with a Yazuri, then buffed VF polishing, and then spliced. However, it was difficult to uniformly process the end face, and there were many variations, resulting in large optical signal losses.

Furthermore, in the connection of plastic fibers, a method of heat-sealing the end faces of the plastic fibers together is often used, but conventional heaters for heat-sealing are large, making them inconvenient to carry.

In these methods, in order to connect a wired plastic fiber to another plastic fiber, the end of the wired plastic fiber must be left extra long, or the wired plastic fiber must be removed and the gF The connections had to be made by rubbing or heat-sealing, which required a lot of work.

Therefore, the inventors have developed an optical fiber end face processing jig that is convenient to carry and can easily and quickly mirror finish the end face of an optical fiber. This optical fiber end face treatment jig is
It is equipped with a glass substrate that is crimped onto the end face of the optical fiber and a heater section that heats the glass substrate.With the optical fiber inserted through the holding fitting, the end face of the optical fiber is crimped onto the glass substrate, and the glass substrate is heated using the heater. By heating, the end face of the optical fiber can be melted and a mirror-finished end face of the optical fiber can be obtained.

However, since the thermal conductivity of the glass substrate is low, the heat generated by the heater accumulates in the vicinity of the heater on the glass substrate, causing the heater to become excessively heated. In order to process the end face of the optical fiber, when the optical fiber is being crimped onto the glass substrate,
Since the presser metal comes into contact with the surface of the glass substrate, the heat accumulated in the vicinity of the heater is released to the presser metal with high thermal conductivity, so there is no problem. On the other hand, if the presser fittings were not in contact with each other, excessive heating of the heater as described above would occur, causing damage to the heater.

[Purpose of the invention]

In view of the above-mentioned points, the present invention provides an optical fiber end face processing jig that efficiently dissipates heat when the heater temperature rises excessively, prevents damage to the heater, and shortens the cooling time. The purpose is to provide.

[Disclosure of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an optical fiber end face processing jig that includes a glass substrate that is crimped onto the end face of an optical fiber, and a heater section that heats the glass substrate. The gist of the present invention is an optical fiber end face processing jig characterized in that: 1 the end face of the fiber is covered with an eyebrow formed of a material having high thermal conductivity, leaving the position where the end face is crimped; One embodiment of this will be explained in detail below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the optical fiber end face processing jig (hereinafter referred to as the "jig") consists of a heating section 1, a circuit section 2, and a power supply section 3. A glass substrate 6 is held in the heating section 1 by a frame 7. An electrode 5.5 is provided on the rear surface of the glass substrate 6, and a heater is provided on the rear surface of the glass substrate 6, which corresponds to the position where the end surface of the optical fiber is crimped on the front surface of the glass substrate 6. 4
is installed. On both sides of the heater 4, the electrodes 5,
5 are overlapped, and the heater 4 is connected to the power supply section 3.
When more current is supplied, the heater generates heat. A heat sink N9 made of a material with high thermal conductivity is formed on the front surface of the glass substrate 6, leaving a position 8 where the end face of the optical fiber is crimped.

The heat generated by the heater 4 is transferred to the glass substrate 6, but since the thermal conductivity of glass is low, it is difficult for the heat to diffuse and conduct within the glass substrate 6. Only the nearby glass substrates are heated intensively.

However, the above Wj! When rr19 is provided, since the thermal conductivity of this layer 9 is high, this heat dissipation N9 can quickly disperse the heat in the vicinity of the heater throughout the layer.

Since this layer is in extensive contact with the atmosphere, the heat dispersed throughout the layer can be efficiently radiated to the atmosphere.

In the optical fiber end face processing jig according to the present invention, the heat in the vicinity of the heater is efficiently released to the atmosphere in this way, so that the heater does not become overheated.

In order to improve the adhesion between the heat dissipation N9 and the glass substrate 6, as shown in FIG. 3, after forming a thin film 10 of silicon dioxide or the like on the glass substrate 6, the heat dissipation layer 9 may be formed thereon. .

As shown in FIG. 4, the optical fiber 11 to be subjected to end face treatment is made up of a wire 13 consisting of a core and a brad covered with a coating 12. A holding metal fitting 14 is attached to the tip of the optical fiber 11.

Next, an optical fiber end face treatment process using the jig according to the present invention will be explained. The coating 12 is removed from the end face of the optical fiber 11 to which the presser fitting 14 is attached, leaving the strands 13 exposed. Then, as shown in Figure 4, cut off the unnecessary strands, leaving an appropriate length.
The end face of this optical fiber 11 is crimped and fixed to the front surface of the glass substrate 6 of the heater section 1 of the jig. Then, when a current is applied to the heater 4, since the heater 4 is disposed only at the position on the rear surface of the glass substrate 6 corresponding to the position where the end surface of the optical fiber on the front surface of the glass substrate 6 is crimped, Only the portion of the glass substrate necessary for processing the end face of the optical fiber is heated. In this way, the end face of the optical fiber 11 press-bonded to the glass substrate 6 is melted. Thereafter, the power supply to the heater 4 is stopped and the heater 4 is cooled. The end face of the optical fiber 11 thus completed has a mirror surface as shown in FIG.

Since the softening point of plastic is around 100°C, the heater of the jig according to this invention can heat the glass substrate where the end face of the optical fiber is crimped to about 140°C, and can heat the glass substrate to about 300°C. The heater material is preferably one that is stable against heat up to
In addition to dium tin oxide), gold muds such as nickel chromium alloys, nitrides such as tantalum nitride, oxides such as ruthenium oxide, etc. are preferably used.

The glass substrate of the jig according to this invention has a softening point of 700.
The electrode of the jig according to the present invention, which preferably has high high temperature strength at temperatures above .degree. C., preferably has high stability over time and low sheet resistance and contact resistance.

In this invention, the material for the heat dissipation layer formed on the glass substrate is preferably a substance with high thermal conductivity, so it is preferable to use silver, gold, or the like.

The circuit part of the jig according to this invention includes a temperature compensation mechanism,
It is sufficient to incorporate necessary mechanisms such as a time control mechanism, display mechanism, and current control mechanism.

In consideration of portability, it is desirable to use a rechargeable battery in the power supply portion of the jig according to the present invention.

Next, examples of the jig according to the present invention will be described.

(Example 1) Glass substrate after steam cleaning with isopropyl alcohol (thickness 0.8 m+, diameter 29 ao+, product name: Hoya NA
40. Silver paste) (made by ESL Co., Ltd.) was screen printed to a thickness of approximately 20 μm, and 1
After drying at 20°C for 15 minutes and baking at 650°C for 15 minutes to form an electrode, apply ruthenium oxide paste (manufactured by Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.) to a thickness of approximately 20 μm and a sheet resistance value of approximately 2Ω/mouth. Screen print as shown, 12
It was dried at 0°C for 15 minutes and fired at 650°C for 15 minutes to form a heater. Next, silver paste was screen printed to form a thin layer on the opposite surface of the glass substrate on which the electrodes and heater were formed, leaving a position where the end surface of the optical insulation board 74 would be pressed.

Assuming that the voltage of the nickel cadmium battery is 2.4μ, we decided to use a constant voltage source, and the glass substrate was not attached to a jig and the end face of the optical fiber was not crimped. did. As a result, the temperature rise of the heater reached equilibrium at approximately 300°C.

(Example 2) Electrodes and heaters were formed in the same manner as in Example 1, and on the opposite side of the glass substrate on which the electrodes and heaters were formed,
A layer made of silicon dioxide was formed by electron beam evaporation to give a total thickness of 1,000 yen, and a layer made of silver was further formed thereon in the same manner as in Example 1.

As a result of supplying power in the same manner as in Example 1, the temperature rise of the heater was balanced at approximately 280°C.

〔Effect of the invention〕

In the optical fiber end face treatment jig according to the present invention, a layer made of a material with high thermal conductivity is formed on the glass substrate, so that heat near the heater is quickly conducted to the entire layer and transferred to the atmosphere and the entire surface of the glass substrate. It is possible to efficiently disperse the heat, prevent damage to the heater due to excessive temperature rise, and shorten the time taken to lower the temperature.

゛ (Reference) Conventionally, the method of forming heaters and electrodes on a glass substrate was by sputtering using a material that has high adhesion to glass, but this took time to manufacture and required adjustment of the resistance value of the heater. However, there were some difficulties.

In such a case, a forming method using a screen printing method described below may be used.

It is desirable that the glass substrate has a softening point of 700°C or higher and high strength at high temperatures.
(diameter 29cm-9 thickness 0.8ams+) was used. Since the softening point of plastic is around 100°C, the heater is used to heat the glass substrate where the end face of the optical fiber will be crimped.
It is desirable that the material can be heated to about 40° C., is stable against heat up to about 300° C., and has high adhesion to glass. In this example, a ruthenium oxide based paste manufactured by Susumu Metal Mining Co., Ltd. was used. Since it is desirable that the electrode has high stability over time and low sheet resistance and contact resistance, silver paste manufactured by ESL was used.

After steam cleaning the glass substrate with isopropyl alcohol, screen printing a silver paste to a thickness of approximately 20 μm, drying at 120°C for 15 minutes, and drying at 650°C for 15 minutes.
The electrode was formed by firing for a minute. Next, a ruthenium oxide paste was screen printed to a thickness of approximately 20 μm and a sheet resistance value of approximately 2 Ω/hole, and the paste was heated at 120°C.
The sample was dried at 650° C. for 15 minutes and fired at 650° C. for 15 minutes to form a heater. By applying electricity to this from a power supply section using a nickel cadmium battery, we were able to process the end face of the optical fiber and obtain the desired results. Moreover, under 3 atm, 100
Even when the current was applied for a certain period of time, the change in resistance value was within 1%.

The shapes of the heater and electrodes can be formed in various shapes, such as the shapes shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or the shapes shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
! In this way, the forming method using the screen printing method has a relatively simple manufacturing process, it is easy to control the type, shape, and thickness of the heater, and the resistance value of the heater can be freely selected. The subsequent stability over time can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an optical fiber end face processing jig according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an optical fiber with a holding fitting attached, FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an optical fiber after end face treatment, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 6. FIG. 1... Heating section 2... Circuit section 3... Power supply section 4
...Catification 5...Electrode 6...Glass substrate 7.
...Frame 9...Heating layer agent Patent attorney Takehikotsu Matsumoto d Figure 1'' Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) An optical fiber end face processing jig comprising a glass substrate to be crimped to the end face of the optical fiber and a heater unit for heating the glass substrate, wherein the glass substrate has a position where the end face of the optical fiber is crimped. What is claimed is: 1. An optical fiber end face processing jig characterized in that the remaining portion is coated with a layer formed of a material having high thermal conductivity.