Reliability characterization of adhesives used in passive optical components

The number of passive optical devices, connectors, and splices used in optical fiber systems to the home and work place is increasing at an accelerating rate. The extent to which the manufacturing and packaging of these components relies on heat-curable epoxy-based and UV- curable (epoxy acrylate or urethane acrylate-based) adhesives is unprecedented in the telecommunications industry. The use of these materials introduces new reliability issues which must be resolved; the most important of these is the ability of the components to function satisfactorily for long periods of time under adverse environmental conditions.