Splicing optical fibers

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR SHAPING THE ENDS OF FIRST AND SECOND OPTICAL FIBERS THAT ARE TO BE SPLICED TOGETHER, EACH OF SAID FIBERS COMPRISING A RELATIVELY HIGH INDEX-OF-REFRACTION CYLINDRICAL CORE HAVING A RELATIVELY LOW INDEX-OF-REFRACTION CLADDING DISPOSED THEREABOUT, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: COATING THE ENTIRE END SURFACES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND FIBERS WITH NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE RADIATION-SENSITIVE MATERIAL, RESPECTIVELY, EXPOSING TO RADIATION ONLY A SELECTED PORTION OF THE MATERIAL COATED ON EACH OF SAID END SURFACES BY DIRECTING AT SAID MATERIAL A RADIANT BEAM WHOSE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA APPROXIMATES THAT OF SAID CORE AND IS MUCH LESS THAN THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID CORE AND CLADDING, SAID SELECTED PORTION INCLUDING THE MATERIAL COVERING THE ENTIRE CORE AREA OF EACH FIBER END AND EXCLUDING THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE MATERIAL THAT COVERS THE CLADDING AREA OF EACH FIBER END, REMOVING THE UNEXPOSED PORTION OF SAID MATERIAL FROM SAID FIRST FIBER END AND THE EXPOSED PORTION OF SAID MATERIAL FROM SAID SECOND FIBER END, AND REMOVING A LONGITUDINAL PORTION OF EACH FIBER END THAT IS NOT PROTECTED BY REMAINING MATERIAL.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR SHAPING THE ENDS OF FIRST AND SECOND OPTICAL FIBERS THAT ARE TO BE SPLICED TOGETHER, EACH OF SAID FIBERS COMPRISING A RELATIVELY HIGH INDEX-OF-REFRACTION CYLINDRICAL CORE HAVING A RELATIVELY LOW INDEX-OF-REFRACTION CLADDING DISPOSED THEREABOUT, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: COATING THE ENTIRE END SURFACES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND FIBERS WITH NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE RADIATION-SENSITIVE MATERIAL, RESPECTIVELY, EXPOSING TO RADIATION ONLY A SELECTED PORTION OF THE MATERIAL COATED ON EACH OF SAID END SURFACES BY DIRECTING AT SAID MATERIAL A RADIANT BEAM WHOSE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA APPROXIMATES THAT OF SAID CORE AND IS MUCH LESS THAN THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID CORE AND CLADDING, SAID SELECTED PORTION INCLUDING THE MATERIAL COVERING THE ENTIRE CORE AREA OF EACH FIBER END AND EXCLUDING THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE MATERIAL THAT COVERS THE CLADDING AREA OF EACH FIBER END, REMOVING THE UNEXPOSED PORTION OF SAID MATERIAL FROM SAID FIRST FIBER END AND THE EXPOSED PORTION OF SAID MATERIAL FROM SAID SECOND FIBER END, AND REMOVING A LONGITUDINAL PORTION OF EACH FIBER END THAT IS NOT PROTECTED BY REMAINING MATERIAL.

Claim 6

A method for forming a male-type connector on one end of a length of optical fiber that comprises a relatively high index-of-refraction cylindrical core having a relatively low index-of-refraction cladding disposed thereabout, said method comprising the steps of: coating said one end with a layer of radiation-sensitive material of the negative photoresist type, directing sensitizing radiation into the other end of said fiber to propagate along the core thereof and to impinge on the rear surface of said layer only in the immediate vicinity of said core thereby to expose a portion of said material directly overlying said core, removing the unexposed portion of said material from said one end, and removing a longitudinal portion of said one end that is not protected by said exposed portion of said material.

Claim 7

A method for forming a male-type connector on one end of a length of optical fiber that comprises a relatively high index-of-refraction cylindrical core having a relatively low index-of-refraction cladding disposed thereabout, said method comprising the steps of: coating said one end with a layer of radiation-sensitive material of the negative photoresist type, directing sensitizing radiation into the other end of said fiber to propagate along the core thereof and to impinge on the rear surface of said layer only in the immediate vicinity of said core thereby to expose a portion of said material directly overlying said core, removing the unexposed portion of said material from said one end, and removing a longitudinal portion of said one end that is not protected by said exposed portion of said material.

Claim 8

A method for forming a female-type connector on one end of a length of optical fiber that comprises a relatively high index-of-refraction cylindrical core having a relatively low index-of-refraction cladding disposed thereabout, said method comprising the steps of: coating said one end with a layer of radiation-sensitive material of the positive photoresist type, directing sensitizing radiation onto the other end of said fiber to propagate along the core thereof and to impinge on the rear surface of said layer only in the immediate vicinity of said core thereby to expose a portion of said material directly overlying said core, removing the exposed portion of said material from said one end, and removiNg a longitudinal portion of said one end that is not protected by said unexposed portion of said material.

Claim 9

A method for forming a female-type connector on one end of a length of optical fiber that comprises a relatively high index-of-refraction cylindrical core having a relatively low index-of-refraction cladding disposed thereabout, said method comprising the steps of: coating said one end with a layer of radiation-sensitive material of the positive photoresist type, directing sensitizing radiation onto the other end of said fiber to propagate along the core thereof and to impinge on the rear surface of said layer only in the immediate vicinity of said core thereby to expose a portion of said material directly overlying said core, removing the exposed portion of said material from said one end, and removiNg a longitudinal portion of said one end that is not protected by said unexposed portion of said material.