QUESTION: Does FOC have any experience or recommendations in using microwaves to cure fiber optic epoxies?
ANSWER:
FOC does not have any experience using microwaves to cure epoxies. Certain microwave machines, much more sophisticated than the familiar domestic models, are now being used to cure some adhesives. These machines make use of variable frequency microwaves (VFM) to sweep through a range frequencies, providing much more uniform heating throughout the oven, and can accomplish adhesive cures in significantly less time than conventional heat ovens.
One place this technology is used in the semiconductor and electronic packaging industry, to rapidly and uniformly cure chip underfills; where miniaturization and mismatched CTEs of the substrates involved cause tensile/compressive stresses that damage the parts.
To date FOC has not seen anyone in the fiber industry using microwaves to cure epoxies. For more information about microwave curing, here is a link to Lambda Technologies: http://www.microcure.com/.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT & RESOURCES:
- Category Resource: FOC Epoxy Page
- Find More Information in this Blog: Helpful Epoxy Tips (and a Few Tricks)
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