Chapter 6. Maintenance
EQ-99X Operation & Maintenance Manual
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of
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Chapter 6. Maintenance
6.1 Fiber Cleaning Process
Fiber Cleaning Basics
Fiber Caps
•
Operating the LDLS with a contaminated fiber introduces the risk of decreased performance or damage to the
unit.
•
A fiber is considered clean when there are no particles on the fiber core or cladding that are detectable with
>200X magnification.
• Follow the fiber inspection and cleaning process shown in the figure Fiber Cleaning Process Flowchart before
making a laser fiber SMA connection. As shown in the figure, inspecting and cleaning is an iterative process.
The final step of the cleaning should
always
be a successful inspection. Sometimes, the cleaning action
redistributes particles from an area that is not visible with the inspection scope (and not problematic) to an
area that
is
visible (and
is
problematic). Because of this,
Energetiq recommends that the first step is removing
any loose particles or debris with pressurized nitrogen.
•
If the SMA fiber must be disconnected, always use a white Delrin cap on the laser fiber end and a red cap on
the lamp head.
•
Store caps open-side down when possible.
•
The threads on the caps can store and migrate or transfer metal particles, which are particularly problematic to
the laser fiber. Blow out caps with clean dry air (CDA) or nitrogen (N2) prior to use.
•
Never leave the fiber disconnected without a cap.
