The typical process involves stripping the fiber coating, inserting and securing the fiber in a ferrule with adhesive, and then polishing the end using a series of films with progressively finer grits. Finally, the endface quality is checked, for example with a fiber microscope. This article will explore different methods used in fiber optic polishing. The article also touches upon special techniques like angle polishing and side. As the final step, polishing prepares the fiber optically to ensure that defects and nonuniformities in the fiber/ferrule endfaces or geometry do not degrade the passage of light across the connector joint. How proper optical-fiber polishing techniques can improve network performance. No matter how you splice it, a networking system is only as good as its weakest link.
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