Fiber taper rig using a simplified heat source and the flame-brush technique

Abstract

This paper presents the implementation of an automated fiber optic taper rig capable of manufacturing fiber optic tapers with diameters in the micron and sub-micron range. The implemented taper rig uses the flame-brush technique to taper the fiber optic with a heat source made by a low cost commercial air aspirated/butane/propane refillable and controllable micro-torch. Adiabatic tapers with exponential waist profiles, tapering excess loss of less than 1% and with diameters in the micron range are reported and the feasibility of such a simple heat source is demonstrated for the fabrication of fiber optic tapers. The taper rig has the dimensions and structure to manufacture tapers in the sub-micron range, but such tapers were not presented in this work.