Spring-retentive V-groove splice for joining groups of optical fibers

Abstract

A multigroove splicing technique for optical fibers has been developed that employs V-grooves and individual springs. The springs retain fibers that are pressed into V-grooves. The splicing technique can automatically compensate for irregularity in the fiber ends by using a buckling phenomenon of optical fibers. With our experimental splice connector, irregularities of up to 200 μm can be evened out. Average splice loss was 0.12 dB, and the worst loss was 0.23 dB. This splicing technique has the additional benefit that a splice connector can be used repeatedly since no adhesives are applied.