Laser cleaving of optical connectors

From single mode to multimode, simplex to multifiber, all connector termination processes require the excess fiber to be cleaved and "denubbed" and the residual epoxy (bead) to be removed prior to the polishing operation. While accepted as the industry's standard practice, mechanical hand scribing, or "nick and pull" techniques, are often the source of poor endface quality and low yields, resulting in high manufacturing costs and questionable long-term reliability. Mechanical hand scribing techniques are particularly susceptible to operator-dependent variability, tool-dependent variability, and uncontrollable stress propagation inherent to the glass. Fiber optic connector manufacturers have long searched for alternative cleaving technologies that would mitigate the undesirable effects of mechanical hand scribing. Laser cleaving technology, though historically perceived as a costly and accessibly limited option, is rapidly gaining acceptance as a viable alternative to mechanical hand scribing. This paper investigates the physics and reliability of laser cleaving. We will also explore the practical advantages, including economic benefits, of manufacturing using laser cleaving technologies.