Break Source Analysis: Alternate Mirror Measurement Method

Break source analysis (BSA) refers to the methods used to determine the cause of failure in optical fibre. Integral to this assessment is the determination of the magnitude and mode of stress at failure. It is common to use the measured mirror radius to calculate the stress at failure. However, bending and torsional stresses can alter the mirror shape, thereby introducing significant uncertainties to the stress determined by this method. This paper describes an alternate mirror measurement technique and associated mirror constant that reduces uncertainties in the calculated failure stress.