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→Testing
=='''Equipment'''==
=='''Equipment'''==
====Splicing Unit====
====Splicing Unit====
The splicing unit was obtained in December of 2009 from Ron Richards of Michigan State University. Originally it had been used to fuse small round fibers. Some of the equipment has been modified to accommodate the square fibers that will be fused in the unit.
<gallery>
File:splicingunit.jpg|The splicing unit.
File:theory.png|The theoretical range of effective melting/splicing
</gallery>
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:IMG_20121120_150842.JPG|A close-up of the ferrules, collars, and heating lamp of the fiber splicing machine
File:IMG_20121120_150842.JPG|A close-up of the ferrules, collars, and heating lamp of the fiber splicing machine
File:IMG_20121120_150859.JPG|A side view, for perspective
File:IMG_20121120_150859.JPG|A side view.
</gallery>
</gallery>
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:fiberferrulesandshrink.JPG|A 2x2 mm square waveguide, 2 ferrules, and heat-shrink used to mount the ferrules and supports to the collars
File:fiberferrulesandshrink.JPG|A 2x2 mm square waveguide, 2 ferrules, and heat-shrink used to mount the ferrules and supports to the collars. The black residue on one of the ferrules is RTV and it is used in mounting ferrules to the collars.
</gallery>
</gallery>
====Fibers====
====Fibers====
* [[private:fiber_properties_datasheets|Properties of polystyrene]]
* [[private:fiber_properties_datasheets|Properties of St. Gobain double-clad fibers]]
====Lamp====
====Lamp====
=='''Results'''==
=='''Results'''==
===Testing===
These are the earliest attempts at splicing 2x2mm square fibers using modified equipment for the splicing unit. Each fiber pictured below had been heated at a different distance from the heat lamp, 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.
<gallery>
file:1.JPG
file:2b.JPG
file:3.JPG
file:4.JPG
file:5.JPG
file:6.JPG
file:7.JPG
file:10.JPG
</gallery>
===New Collar Design===