WO2002075397A2 - Amplificateur de fibres optiques - Google Patents

Amplificateur de fibres optiques Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2002075397A2
WO2002075397A2 PCT/GB2002/001262 GB0201262W WO02075397A2 WO 2002075397 A2 WO2002075397 A2 WO 2002075397A2 GB 0201262 W GB0201262 W GB 0201262W WO 02075397 A2 WO02075397 A2 WO 02075397A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
optical fibre
joint
amplifier
coating
fibre
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2002/001262
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2002075397A3 (fr
Inventor
Christopher Mark Hardingham
Original Assignee
Bookman Technology Plc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bookman Technology Plc filed Critical Bookman Technology Plc
Priority to AU2002242845A priority Critical patent/AU2002242845A1/en
Publication of WO2002075397A2 publication Critical patent/WO2002075397A2/fr
Publication of WO2002075397A3 publication Critical patent/WO2002075397A3/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/255—Splicing of light guides, e.g. by fusion or bonding
    • G02B6/2558—Reinforcement of splice joint

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an optical fibre amplifier, that is a light signal amplifier which does not need to convert the light signal to an electrical signal for amplification purposes.
  • the invention also relates to improvements in methods of manufacturing such amplifiers.
  • optical fibre for data transmission or telecommunications
  • there is unavoidable loss of light occurring inside the optical fibre because a gradual attenuation of the signal takes place along the path of the optical fibre. It is therefore necessary when the optical signal has to be transmitted for long distances to use one or more optical fibre amplifiers which are spaced along the length of the optical fibre at determined distances. In this way, the signal being transmitted along the fibre is boosted periodically to avoid the signal being degraded to such an extent that signal transmission strength is reduced to a level below which it is impossible to capture the data at the destination.
  • the optical fibre amplifier includes a number of components which must be joined optically both to each other and to the main data transmission optical fibre and this is normally achieved by a technique of fusing the glass fibres together which is known as splicing.
  • each component preferably has, for each light input or output, a so-called pigtail, which consists of length of optical fibre typically about 1 m long.
  • the end of this pigtail is joined to, for example, the main optical fibre or a pigtail of another component in a splicing machine, which is a well-known technique.
  • the casing normally contains one or more drums or annular walls around which spare optical fibre is wound.
  • spare optical fibre typically, six or more different fibres may be wound round each drum in the completely assembled amplifier, hi practice, it is possible to test the amplifier properly only when it is fully assembled. If at that stage, the test reveals a deficiency in a particular joint, it is necessary to first locate and then remove the pigtail manually to enable the faulty splice to be cut out and the two fibres rejoined.
  • the present invention seeks to provide a method of more readily identifying joints visually which testing has indicated are deficient.
  • a method of identifying a spliced joint in an optical fibre by including on or adjacent the joint, a time-dependent dye or coating, a visual characteristic of which varies over time.
  • the present invention also provides, according to a third aspect, an optical fibre including a spliced joint which has on or adjacent the joint a time-dependent dye or coating, a visual characteristic of which varies over time.
  • a second aspect of the invention provides a method of splicing an optical fibre, including the step of coating the fibre on or adjacent the joint with a time-dependent dye or coating, a visual characteristic of which varies over time.
  • Figure 1 shows a schematic view of an amplifier
  • Figure 2 shows a plan view of a casing for the amplifier.
  • an optical fibre amplifier utilising two pump lasers 1 and 2.
  • the components in the amplifier can be conveniently divided into three groups 3, 4 and 5.
  • Group 3 consists of optical components including two dichroic couplers, two active optical fibre coils and directional couplers
  • group 4 consists of opto-electronic components
  • group 5 consists of electronic control circuitry.
  • the opto-electronic components in group 4 are optically connected by means of spliced joints to the optical fibres in group 3 and electrically to the control circuitry in group 5.
  • the amplifier is connected through a spliced joint 6 to the main data transmission input fibre 7 and through a splicing joint 8 to an output optical fibre 9.
  • the remaining components in group 3 are connected optically by means of further spliced joints indicated by crosses 10.
  • each of the pigtails and optical fibres to be joined together are colour-coded to ensure that the correct connections are made.
  • the colour coding typically is on paper or plastic tags attached to the fibres. These tags are inconvenient and often get in the way of assembling the components, particularly at the stage of coiling the optical fibres into the casing and are removed by the assembler as soon as possible.
  • the casing contains typically two drums 10, 11 as shown in Figure 2, or annular walls around which spare optical fibre is wound. Typically, six or more different fibres may be wound round each drum in the completely assembled amplifier. In practice, it is possible to test the amplifier properly only when it is fully assembled. If at that stage, the test reveals a deficiency in a particular joint, it is necessary to first locate and then remove the pigtail manually to enable the faulty splice to be cut out and the two fibres rejoined.
  • An optical fibre 9 typically consists of a central silica core of about seven microns diameter surrounded by sleeve of about 120 microns.
  • the sleeve normally is encased by an outer coating of a polymer resin which both protects the silica core and sleeve from damage and also assists in giving a degree of flexibility to the fibre.
  • the overall diameter of the polymer coating is typically of the order of 250 to 400 microns.
  • some of the polymer coating must be removed from the ends of each of the two fibres to be joined. The coating can be removed by chemical dipping, mechanical stripping or heating to melt a portion of the coating. The two ends are then placed in a splicing machine for fusing together.
  • the bare silica portion is coated with a material that protects the silica in the same manner as the polymer but is visually distinct so that it is possible to easily spot the presence of a splice even on the very fine fibre.
  • the material used comprises a time-dependent dye or paint (or other coating) so that it fades or otherwise changes colour, for example, over a 24-hour period. Since all of the splicing of the fibres is carried out in a laid down, predetermined sequence, which lasts typically for several hours, it is possible to see from the colour of the material surrounding a splice the particular place in the sequence in which the splicing has been carried out.
  • the position of that splice in the predetermined sequence is known. Knowing its position in the sequence and knowing the total degree of colour variation which has taken place since the sequence was started, it is possible to determine quite simply by visual inspection which of the many splices has the particular colour variation indicative of that position in the sequence. The person repairing the splice can then easily remove that splice from the casing.
  • a further advantage of each splice being indicated by a different colour from the main outer coating polymer is that it is possible for the person assembling the amplifier to keep each splice in a straight path as the fibre is being laid up in the casing. This has the advantage of increasing the reliability of the amplifier since it is known that having a splice stored in a coil increases the stress on the splice joint since it is forced into a curve, and this can lead to premature failure of the splice.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Coupling Of Light Guides (AREA)
  • Light Guides In General And Applications Therefor (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé permettant d'identifier un raccord épissé dans une fibre optique par introduction, sur le raccord ou à côté du raccord, d'un revêtement ou d'un colorant temporel dont les caractéristiques varient avec le temps. La présente invention concerne également un raccord épissé dans une fibre optique comprenant, sur le raccord ou à côté du raccord, un revêtement ou un colorant temporel dont les caractéristiques varient avec le temps.
PCT/GB2002/001262 2001-03-19 2002-03-18 Amplificateur de fibres optiques WO2002075397A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2002242845A AU2002242845A1 (en) 2001-03-19 2002-03-18 Optical fibre amplifier

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0106758.6 2001-03-19
GB0106758A GB2373591A (en) 2001-03-19 2001-03-19 Optic fibre spliced joint with time dependent coating

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2002075397A2 true WO2002075397A2 (fr) 2002-09-26
WO2002075397A3 WO2002075397A3 (fr) 2003-10-30

Family

ID=9911001

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2002/001262 WO2002075397A2 (fr) 2001-03-19 2002-03-18 Amplificateur de fibres optiques

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2002242845A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2373591A (fr)
WO (1) WO2002075397A2 (fr)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3871935A (en) * 1974-03-14 1975-03-18 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Method of encapsulating and terminating the fibers of an optical fiber ribbon
EP0396313A2 (fr) * 1989-05-04 1990-11-07 Corning Incorporated Connecteur à fibre optique et méthode
EP0553606A1 (fr) * 1992-01-13 1993-08-04 Telia Ab Méthode et arrangement pour épissurer des guide d'ondes optiques
WO2000039234A1 (fr) * 1998-12-29 2000-07-06 Corning Incorporated Procede de fabrication d'un dispositif optique utilisant des adhesifs purifies sur le parcours optique

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3871935A (en) * 1974-03-14 1975-03-18 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Method of encapsulating and terminating the fibers of an optical fiber ribbon
EP0396313A2 (fr) * 1989-05-04 1990-11-07 Corning Incorporated Connecteur à fibre optique et méthode
EP0553606A1 (fr) * 1992-01-13 1993-08-04 Telia Ab Méthode et arrangement pour épissurer des guide d'ondes optiques
WO2000039234A1 (fr) * 1998-12-29 2000-07-06 Corning Incorporated Procede de fabrication d'un dispositif optique utilisant des adhesifs purifies sur le parcours optique

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2002075397A3 (fr) 2003-10-30
GB0106758D0 (en) 2001-05-09
GB2373591A (en) 2002-09-25
AU2002242845A1 (en) 2002-10-03

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