Low profile system for joining optical fiber waveguides

A method for joining a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber along a common fiber axis, the method comprising:

• a) providing a low profile fusion splicing system, the system comprising:
• (i) a low profile fusion splicing head having a fusion splicing stage including a clamping and fiber position adjustment system comprising holding means for holding said fibers substantially in a horizontal plane and motion means for moving said fibers in three orthogonal dimensions into coaxial, abutting alignment;
• an imaging optical system having a fiber imaging illuminator and a fiber image detector, said imaging optical system being adapted to acquire optical images of said fibers in a first imaging direction and a second imaging direction, said imaging directions being non-coincident;
• and an electric arc welding system;
• (ii) a user interface having an output display and user input controls for activating the splicing system;
• (iii) electronic control circuitry having imaging electronics that receive the output of said fiber image detector and produce a display signal feeding said output display;
• and fusion control electronics operably connected to activate said electric arc welding system and supply high voltage thereto;
• b) preparing said first and second optical fibers by removing coatings present thereon and cleaving the ends of the fibers to form a mating end on each fiber;
• c) arranging said first and second optical fibers in said holding means with said mating ends in facing relationship;
• d) imaging said fibers in said imaging optical system prior to said joining;
• e) positioning said optical fibers into coaxial, abutting alignment;
• and
• f) transmitting light from a first source traverses a first optical path and transmitting light from a second source traverses a second optical path, each of said paths being multiply folded;
• g) fusing said fibers by said electric arc welding system.