THORLABS Vytran LFS4100, User Manual

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LFS4100 Chapter 8: Fiber Holder Insert Selection Guide
Rev B, July 24, 2018 Page 35
Chapter 8 Fiber Holder Insert Selection Guide
Top Inserts:
The LFS4100 fusion splicer requires fiber holder inserts to be placed in the fiber holding blocks in order to clamp
the fibers during the splicing process. Fiber holder top inserts sit in the lid of the fiber holding blocks and come in
a variety of groove sizes. They can be used to clamp the cladding, coating, or buffer of a fiber. The top inserts and
bottom inserts can be paired in a variety of combinations to accommodate all fiber sizes compatible with the
LFS4100 splicer, as shown in Table 4. Multiple combinations of top and bottom inserts may be required to
accommodate all sizes of fiber to be spliced.
There are two types of top inserts that are compatible with the LFS4100 fusion splicer. The standard top inserts
(Item #'s starting with VHA) come in single-sided and double-sided versions; the specified fiber diameter (in µm) is
engraved on the part. These top inserts cannot be used for end-view imaging. They are, however, compatible
with the FPS300 Fiber Preparation Station, LDC Series of Fiber Cleavers, and GPX Glass Processing Systems.
For end-view imaging and alignment, an insert with an indent for LED illumination (VHB00 or VHB05) is required.
This mode of operation allows for alignment of the cores of polarization-maintaining, eccentric-core, and
microstructured specialty fibers. These LED illumination inserts are also compatible with the GPX Series of Glass
Processing Systems.
Fiber Holder Insert Side 1 Accepted Diameter
(Min / Max)
Side 2 Accepted Diameter
(Min / Max)
VHB00
57 µm / 759 µm N/A
VHB05
410 µm / 1008 µm 560 µm / 1269 µm
VHA00
57 µm / 759 µm 275 µm / 970 µm
VHA05
410 µm / 1008 µm 560 µm / 1269 µm
VHA10
812 µm / 1515 µm 1036 µm / 1770 µm
VHA15
1288 µm / 2022 µm 1534 µm / 2268 µm
VHA20
1772 µm / 2505 µm 2032 µm / 2944 µm
VHA25
2278 µm / 3029 µm N/A
VHA30
2609 µm / 3198 µm N/A
Bottom Inserts:
Fiber holder bottom inserts sit in the bottom section of the fiber holding blocks and come in a variety of groove
sizes. They can be used to clamp the cladding, coating, or buffer of the fiber. The top inserts (sold above) and
bottom inserts can be paired in a variety of combinations to accommodate all fiber sizes compatible with the
LFS4100 splicer, as shown in Table 4
below.
There are two types of bottom inserts that are compatible with the LFS4100 fusion splicer. The bottom inserts for
fibers with cladding or buffer diameters up to 1.047 mm (indicated with Item #'s starting with VHF) are transfer
inserts; they allow for a single fiber to be transferred between the Vytran FPS300 Fiber Preparation Station,
LDC400 Series of Fiber Cleavers, and LFS4100 Splicer without loss of positional reference. All of these transfer
inserts require the VHT1 transfer clamp; the transfer inserts for diameters ≤550 µm also require a graphite V-
groove.
Fiber Holder Insert Side 1 Accepted Diameter
(Min / Max)
VHF160 112 µm / 208 µm
VHF250 177 µm / 320 µm
VHF400 279 µm / 519 µm
VHF500 346 µm / 795 µm
VHF750 516 µm / 1047 µm