Single mode optical fibre attenuators
AssigneeStandard Telephones and Cables Public Limited Company
InventorAlexander J. Robertson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A single mode optical fibre preset attenuator is made by forming a fusion splice (2) between a length of silica fibre possessing no internal waveguiding structure to a length (1) of single mode optical fibre. Then the silica fibre is cut to a predetermined length to form a short stub (3) which is fusion spliced to a second length (4) of single mode fibre. The fusion splicing equipment may subsequently be used to heat soften the central region of the stub to enable it to be shortened or lengthened to fine tune the attenuation provided.
Claims8
A single mode optical fibre preset attenuator which includes, fusion spliced between an end of a first length of single mode glass optical fibre and an end of a second length of single mode glass optical fibre, a stub length of glass fibre that possesses no internal waveguiding structure.
A method of making a single mode optical fibre preset attenuator that includes first and second lengths of single mode glass optical fibre and a stub length of glass fibre that possesses no internal waveguiding structure, which stub length optically couples one end of said first length of optical fibre with one end of said second length,
- which method includes the step of using fusion splicing equipment to form a first fusion splice between said one end of said first length of single mode fibre and one end of a glass fibre that possess no internal waveguiding structure,
- the step of parting the fibre that possesses no internal waveguiding structure,
- the step of parting the fibre that possesses no internal waveguiding structure at a point that leaves a stub length of that fibre spliced to said first length of single mode fibre,
- and the step of using the fusion splicing equipment to form a second fusion splice between said one end of the second length of single mode fibre and the end of the stub length of fibre opposite the end previously spliced to said first length of single mode fibre.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.