Heating and burning of optical fiber by light scattered from bubble train formed by optical fiber fuse

Abstract

We investigate in detail for the first time the scattering properties and heating characteristics in an optical fiber when a bubble train forms in the middle of the fiber as a result of the fiber fuse phenomenon that occurs when a high power signal is launched into the fiber. We found that almost all the optical light is scattered at the top of the bubble train. The scattered light heats UV coated fiber and nylon jacketed silica fiber to around 100 and over 250 °C, respectively, and finally the fiber burns and destroyed at a launched optical power of over 3 W.