OBJECTIVE: Develop a fiber optic refractive index matching material for use in aerospace platform fiber optic mechanical splices that has a long shelf life and enables a durable and ultra-low optical loss fiber optic mechanical splice.

DESCRIPTION: Fiber optic mechanical splice loss performance typically ranges between 0.1 dB and 1 dB depending on fiber optic cleave quality, splice alignment tolerances, and index matching material environmental performance. Curable fiber optic index matching material used to secure and index match fiber optic cores in mechanical splices has limited shelf life at both room and elevated temperatures. Shelf life is particularly problematic in applications where no refrigeration or humidity control is available during shipping and storage of the curable index matching material prior to splicing. High power optical signals running through fiber optic mechanical splices can result in ignition of refractive index matching material. Significant index matching material optical, environmental and shelf life improvements are needed for mechanical splicing onboard military aerospace platforms. New index matching materials are needed to improve the shelf life performance of mechanical splices based on light cured index matching materials.

Why can't Valdor connector replace the index matching material? If they use Valdor connector the problem is solved.