Annular Heating of Optical Fiber with a CO2 Laser using Reflective Axicon Elements

A method of providing consistent uniform and controlled zone heat at a fiber's surface is presented using a CO2 laser with axicon reflective elements. This optical configuration converts a laser beam into a light structure resembling a disc or cone that can band a fiber's perimeter. The characteristic of this structure is its inherent ability to deliver increasing power density through uniform convergence toward the structure's center thus applying the appropriate melting heat to varying sizes of fiber. By offsetting the light structure, precise localized zone heating and annealing of specific areas at a fiber's surface can be achieved as well. This is essentially a passive devise into which active feedback elements can be incorporated to allow precise control of processes such as splicing, tapering, ball and axicon lensing, end capping, and combiner fabrication.