Method for fusion splicing polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fibers and conventional polarization-maintaining fiber

In view of mode field matching problem between the polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber and the conventional optical fibers, the polarization and mode field distribution characteristics of photonic crystal fiber were analyzed and investigated by using a finite element method. The loss mainly comes from the mismatch of two kinds of optical fiber mode field diameter (MFD). The collapse of air hole in photonic crystal fiber can be accurately controlled by heating photonic crystal fiber with fusion splicer, and MFD of photonic crystal fiber can be increased. We presented changing the fusion parameters of fusion splicer to reduce the fusion splicing loss and improve the splicing quality between PCFs and PMF with arc discharge of fusion splicer. Finally, we get a loss of 0.8dB for the later from PCF to PMF, and 0.5dB from PMF to PCF. At the same time, tensile strength is better than 100kpsi.