Bare Fibers
The use of fiber lensing -- that is the shaping of optical fibers to act as integrated lenses -- in addition to fibers’ light delivery requirements -- is widespread through high-tech Industry & Research.
Bare fibers may need to be polished with a range of end geometries -- flat, cone-shaped, beveled or chisel-shaped ends -- at various angles, to enable specific ‘lensing’ effects. This takes advantage of focal points and spot sizes for various material and optical properties.
Lensed fibers can be used for pigtailing active devices, sensors, data-collection, detectors and laser power delivery for communications, medical, optoelectronics and biophotonics and many more fields. The opposite end of a cable is often connectorized with standard communications or military connector types.
Bare fibers are generally fragile, especially when of small diameter, and must be held and manipulated safely during the mechanical lensing operation. Effective one and two-step preparation techniques have been developedwhich utilize fixed abrasive films.
ULTRA TEC has developed products and techniques for providing support to the generally fragile bare fiber during lapping and polishing, which can achieve the results required for most bare fiber requirements.
The FIBERLAB Microscope is available for both OFF-LINE and ON-LINE QC and production measurements.