Background
Laser cleaving yields good quality cuttings that do not require surface repolishing. This is particularly useful in situations where conventional mechanical polishing is virtually impossible (e.g., with certain non-standard fibers such as microstructured and air-clad fibers). Conventional polishing usually uses abrasive pastes that can clog the air pockets in these fibers. The other advantages of cleaving with CO2 lasers are superior speed, greater control over the cleaving angle, and greater reproductability.