Electrolytic-etching method of reshaping an electrode for fiber splicing

A method for reshaping a substantially sharp tip of an elongated tungsten electrode to improve robustness of said elongated electrode in an arc fusion for splicing optical fibers, said method comprising the steps of:

• immersing said substantially sharp tip of said elongated tungsten electrode in an alkaline solution, said alkaline solution being capable of dissolving an oxidation product of said elongated electrode;
• providing a stainless steel electrode at a distance from said elongated tungsten electrode in said alkaline solution;
• causing an electrical current to flow between said elongated tungsten electrode as the anode and said stainless steel electrode as the cathode for a period of time through said alkaline solution to reshape said substantially sharp tip of said elongated tungsten electrode into a profile having a substantially round tip, creating a reshaped elongated tungsten electrode possessing improved robustness in said arc fusion for splicing said optical fibers.

A method for reshaping a substantially sharp tip of an elongated tungsten electrode to improve robustness of said elongated electrode in an arc fusion for splicing optical fibers, said method comprising the steps of:

• immersing said substantially sharp tip of said elongated tungsten electrode in an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution;
• providing a stainless steel electrode at a distance from said elongated tungsten electrode in said aqueous potassium hydroxide solution;
• causing a direct electrical current in a range of from about 1 milliampere to about 150 milliamperes at a voltage range of from about 1 volt to about 10 volts to flow between said elongated tungsten electrode as the anode and said stainless steel electrode as the cathode for a period in the range of from about 1 minute to about 10 minutes through said alkaline solution to reshape said substantially sharp tip of said elongated tungsten electrode into a profile having a substantially round tip having a local angle in a range of from about 50 degrees to about 60 degrees, creating a reshaped elongated tungsten electrode possessing improved robustness in said arc fusion for splicing said optical fibers.