Title :
Measurement and calibration of fiber coating geometry by grey-scale analysis
Author :
Hallam, Andrew G. ; Shaw, Julia H.
Author_Institution :
York Technol. Ltd., Chandlers Ford, UK
fDate :
8/1/1995 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Measurement of the coating geometry of optical fibers is important in maintaining the optical and mechanical integrity of fibers and in the control of splice loss in multiple-fiber ribbons. A method of measuring coating geometry using a side-view system with a novel dark-field illumination technique is presented. A high contrast image is produced with this system from which the coating diameter noncircularity and concentricity error of a fiber can be determined. The measurement repeatabilities of coating diameter and concentricity error are typically 0.20 μm and 0.25 μm respectively. A means of calibrating the side-view system using a glass rod has been developed and comparison with an interferometric method has shown that a total uncertainty on outer coating diameter of 0.5 μm has been achieved
Keywords :
calibration; diameter measurement; errors; geometry; measurement errors; optical fibre cladding; optical fibre losses; optical fibre testing; optical images; spatial variables measurement; 0.5 mum; calibrating; calibration; coating diameter measurement; coating diameter noncircularity; concentricity error; dark-field illumination technique; fiber coating geometry measurement; glass rod; grey-scale analysis; high contrast image; interferometric method; measurement repeatabilities; mechanical integrity; multiple-fiber ribbons; optical integrity; outer coating diameter; side-view system; splice loss; total uncertainty; Calibration; Coatings; Geometrical optics; Geometry; Loss measurement; Mechanical variables measurement; Optical control; Optical fiber losses; Optical fibers; Optical interferometry;
Journal_Title :
Lightwave Technology, Journal of
