CO 2 Laser Fusion Splicing Between PBGF and

CO 2 Laser Fusion Splicing Between PBGF and SMF Dana Cristea Bridgewater College / KSU Physics Research 2006 Other members of LUMOS lab: Kristan Corwin, Rajesh Thapa, Kevin Knabe, Andrew Jones

Purpose n n n What? ~ Sealing hollow optical fiber containing acetylene gas. Why? ~ Frequency metrology, atomic clocks and quantum/atom optics Who else? ~ P. S. Light, F. Couny, and F. Benabid. Single Mode Fiber (SMF) Photonic Bandgap Fiber (PBGF)

My Project Description n n Status of Project: - splices made in air; - new apparatus build, untested. My Goal: - make splices in vacuum. Results: - Improved splices in air. Major Challenges: - fiber slipping and sticking to clamps; - fiber length. Future Directions

Project Set-up

Project Set-up He. Ne Zn. Se Lens Clamps with Fibers Combiner CO 2

Zn. Se Lens Lasers are passing through the center of the lens: Lasers are not centered:

Fiber Set-up Power (in m. W) = 10 (Power d. Bm)/10 “Butt Coupled” fibers Fiber connected to Power meter Clamp on translation stage Fiber connected to IR Laser ~2. 3 d. Bm (1. 69 m. W)

Procedure n n Secure fibers in clamps Overlap lasers and align them onto fibers “Butt Couple” the fibers until maximum transmission obtained. Apply “Stuffing Stroke” ~ pushing fibers together until transmission drops ~3 -4 d. Bm (fibers shrink during splice).

Splice at 3 V for 1 minute or until transmission through fibers drops. Pre-heating for 20 sec. at 0. 65 V n Power Drop +1. 95 d. Bm n -2. 12 d. Bm -5. 1 d. Bm Splice complete Stuffing Stroke Time Activate CO 2 laser using Labview program, and observe fiber transmission vs. time. Calculate Splice Loss.

Procedure (cont. ) n Check splice strength ~ “Break Radius. ” BR = (L 1+ L 2) / (2*π) L 1+ L 2 = circumference

Challenges n n Problem #1: Fiber Slipping during Stuffing Stroke. Problem #2: Fragile splices. - sticky rubber on clamps - fiber length

Zn. Se windows Translation Stage Zn. Se Window Fixed Clamp Zn. Se Lens

Results n n In Vacuum Chamber without Zn. Se windows at atmospheric pressure Splice Loss -0. 07 d. Bm => “Perfect” splice With Zn. Se windows in Splice Loss +0. 55 d. Bm + 2. 235 d. Bm n Break Radius +0. 76 cm n Break Radius +1. 37 cm +0. 27 cm

Future of the project n n n Splice SMF to SMF inside vacuum chamber with air in and lower power. Splice SMF to SMF with air pumped out. Splice SMF to PBGF and create acetylene cell.

Special Thanks =) n n n Dr. Kristan Corwin Mr. Mike Wells LUMOS Group (Rajesh Thapa, Kevin Knabe, and Andrew Jones) Dr. Larry Weaver NSF/REU/Physics Department Aaron Pung, Matt Wood, and Greg Johnson