PWS Plasma Work Station

Fiber Stripper/Cleaner; Chemical-free; Strip Length 2-55 mm; Fiber Coating Diameter ≤1,000 µm; Translation Speed 0.002-20 mm/s; Fiber Type: Polyimide, Carbon, Gold Coated

3SAE Technologies’ PWS Plasma Work Station is a unique fiber stripper/cleaner for polyimide, carbon and gold coated fibers. This compact, precision-built instrument allows to perform fiber operations that are beyond the ordinary.

Standard thermo-mechanical stripping, solvent cleaning and arc fusion splicing technologies are now over 20 years old and were developed for basic acrylic-coated 125 μm single mode (SM) optical fiber splicing. As fiber technology continues to expand, there are production operations that are difficult or impossible to perform on standard production fiber processing tools.

3SAE Technologies’ PWS Plasma Work Station utilizes the supplier’s patented 3-phase plasma technology to produce a “Ring of Fire®” surrounding the fiber with uniform heat and controlled ionic conditions. Sophisticated software and instrument-grade measurement technology monitors the 3-phase arc to maintain balance and consistency over a broad dynamic range. Temperatures obtainable at the fiber range from less than 100 to well over 3,000 °C.

Many of the operations possible on the PWS Plasma Work Station can be performed in partial vacuum. The PWS system creates vacuum internally from an external air supply. The unique seal and baffle design allows for sufficient sealing around the fibers without causing fiber coating damage. The housing of the PWS is machined from a solid block of aluminum. The electronic and mechanical parts are designed for continuous-duty operation and long-term reliability even with heavy production use.

Tough polyimide, carbon or gold coatings are difficult to remove without severely degrading the fiber’s mechanical integrity. Previous polyimide stripping technologies have either used thermal decomposition, which produces relatively low tensile strength (~100 kpsi), or strong acid/alkali chemistry, which is hazardous and produces toxic waste.

The PWS Plasma Work Station uses ion etching technology to remove polyimide, carbon and gold plating safely and cleanly from the fiber. The stripped region has cleanly tapered interfaces with no charring, and the resulting tensile strength is many times higher (often times >400 kpsi) than conventional stripping methods.

The standard PWS system accommodates a single fiber up to 1,000 μm diameter, with appropriate fixtures. With the available multiple-fiber option, two standard size fibers (125 μm cladding) can be processed simultaneously.

The PWS’s control interface is accessed via the mounted LCD and Keypad. This interface provides operational status updates and provides the operator with complete control of plasma characteristics, temperature and positioning. The operator can quickly and easily recall and store parameters in any one of up to 10 available recipe locations. This allows quick translations between fiber processes.

The 3SAE Technologies team have almost a century of combined experience in the manufacturing and support of custom fiber optic tools. On-site CNC machining and electronic assembly capability enables 3SAE Technologies to act quickly to create customized programming, interfaces and fixtures to meet unique customer requirements. Contact the AMS Technologies fiber optic tools experts to discuss your customized Plasma Work Station exactly tailored to your project’s requirements.

Key Features:

• Compact Bench-top Design
• Chemical-free Fiber Stripping and Cleaning
• Variable Strip Length: 2 to 55 mm
• Translation Speed: 2 μm/s to 20 mm/s
• Software-adjustable Parameters
• Supported Fiber Diameters: 80 to 1,000 μm
• Temperature Range: 1,000 to 3,000 °C+ (@ Standard Pressure), >100 °C to 1,100 °C (in Partial Vacuum)
• Compressed Air: External Compressor, 95 psi max.
• Power Supply: 100 to 240 VAC, 120 W
• Dimensions: 285 x 170 x 170 mm

Applications: Removing Polyimide, Carbon or Metal Coatings, Such as Gold, From Coated Optical Fibers; Removing Polyimide Coatings From Polyimide-coated Wires