Early Fiber Splicing Attempts

These are the earliest attempts at splicing 2x2mm square fibers using modified equipment for the splicing unit. Each picture was taken of a fiber that had either been melted at a different distance from the lamp as other fibers, or for a different length of exposure to the lamp light. As can be seen in the images, there was a gap between the ferrules big enough for cladding or the polystyrene itself to leak through in each attempt. It would seem that the pressure put on the ferrules together, at their ends, is not enough, or the pressure does not translate to the center of the ferrules. Another option was that the ferrules were warping due to the heat from the lamp. Because quartz does not expand/contract much with heat, though, this was considered unlikely.