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Thread: splicing fiber laser cable

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Posts
    89

    Default splicing fiber laser cable

    Hello.
    I have a pulsed fiber laser 20w that fiber cable is cut and missing.
    I have the optoisolator-collimator that is to the other end of fiber cable.
    Where can i find replacement optic fiber cable ? What equipment needs to cleave and splising it?
    Can use the laser source without fiber cable by polishing the cut end of fiber
    has anyone diy experience how to do it?
    Thank you.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Yes, it is technically possible to do this. A few years ago, I bought a defective fiber laser engraver and repaired it this way. The two essential tools you need are a fiber cleaver and a fusion splicer. The cleaver ensures a clean, perpendicular cut of the optical fiber, while the fusion splicer fuses the two halves together. The cleaver is relatively inexpensive, costing a few tens of dollars on AE. However, new fusion splicers start at around 1,000 USD. The high price is due to its complexity: the device uses microscope cameras to align the two fiber halves precisely in the x and y directions, then fuses them with a spark while also carefully pressing them together. I ended up buying an old second-hand splicer on a well-known auction site and repaired it. Such used units typically cost one to a few hundred USD, depending on their condition, but as with any second-hand purchase, luck plays a role. Especially for a pulsed fiber laser, the quality of the splice must be excellent. Otherwise, the laser can damage itself due to back reflection. Rotational alignment may be needed for polarization maintaining fibers. Alternatively, you could look for someone in the fiber-optic network installation field who has a fusion splicer, it will save you a lot of trouble and money for probably just a one time job. Because of the risk of back reflection, I would not recommend turning on the laser with anything other than an isolator spliced to the end of the output fiber. With a bare end, there is a high chance the laser will be damaged at another internal splice by the backreflection. These internal splices are much harder to repair and may require special materials, such as glue with a specific refractive index. I hope this gives you a general idea of what’s involved, if you have any more specific questions, feel free to ask.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2024
    Posts
    26

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by luciday View Post
    Yes, it is technically possible to do this. A few years ago, I bought a defective fiber laser engraver and repaired it this way. The two essential tools you need are a fiber cleaver and a fusion splicer. The cleaver ensures a clean, perpendicular cut of the optical fiber, while the fusion splicer fuses the two halves together. The cleaver is relatively inexpensive, costing a few tens of dollars on AE. However, new fusion splicers start at around 1,000 USD. The high price is due to its complexity: the device uses microscope cameras to align the two fiber halves precisely in the x and y directions, then fuses them with a spark while also carefully pressing them together. I ended up buying an old second-hand splicer on a well-known auction site and repaired it. Such used units typically cost one to a few hundred USD, depending on their condition, but as with any second-hand purchase, luck plays a role. Especially for a pulsed fiber laser, the quality of the splice must be excellent. Otherwise, the laser can damage itself due to back reflection. Rotational alignment may be needed for polarization maintaining fibers. Alternatively, you could look for someone in the fiber-optic network installation field who has a fusion splicer, it will save you a lot of trouble and money for probably just a one time job. Because of the risk of back reflection, I would not recommend turning on the laser with anything other than an isolator spliced to the end of the output fiber. With a bare end, there is a high chance the laser will be damaged at another internal splice by the backreflection. These internal splices are much harder to repair and may require special materials, such as glue with a specific refractive index. I hope this gives you a general idea of what’s involved, if you have any more specific questions, feel free to ask.
    Many modern fiber lasers use unusual core diameters that can be easily spliced by cheap, telecom splicers nor it's easy to get isolator for them.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by atomd View Post
    Many modern fiber lasers use unusual core diameters that can be easily spliced by cheap, telecom splicers nor it's easy to get isolator for them.
    That's correct, the chances are indeed high that the splicer won't want to splice the fiber in automatic mode, but most splicers also have a manual mode that allows you to align the fibers yourself. As long as the core is clearly visible, that works well enough. I assumed that in the OP's case, a piece of cable long enough to splice back to the laser is still attached to the isolator. If that's not the case and a new piece of cable is needed between the laser and the isolator, then it indeed becomes much more difficult. You could take a chance on inserting a piece of regular single-mode fiber for 1064 nm, but there is indeed a possibility that the original fiber was a special LMA or PM fiber, which could lead to problems and potentially damage the laser by backreflection at the incompatible splices.

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