These images are of a large diameter Polarisation Maintaining fiber taken using a VFI-1200.

The images clearly show the cleave initiation point, the stress members and the cracking caused during cleaving because of the stress locked into the fiber.

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These images are of a 105/125 µm fiber, taken using a VFI-200. The cleave initiation point is clearly visible at the bottom of the image, and the interferogram indicates a significant end angle is present on the fiber. The cleave angle estimation feature in the VFI software showed this to be an angle of over 3 °. The inspect mode shows the core/cladding boundary

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These images are of a 125 µm diameter singlemode fiber cleaved using a Photon Kinetics FK-12 angled cleaver set at 8 °. The cleave was inspected using a VFI-200 with an VF-H8 8 ° fiber holder.

The interferogram shows the cleave is very close to 8 ° but the end face has the saddle shape which is characteristic of a fiber cleaved using the "tension and torsion" method of angled cleaving. The cleave initiation point is at the bottom of the picture and shards of glass which can be seen on the inspect image are typical of the debris caused by the damage which occurs to the surface of the fiber at higher cleave angles.

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These images are of a 400 µm diameter fiber cleaved using an LDF cleaver. The cleave was inspected using a VFI-200 in the cleaver's own 400 µm fiber holder.

The two cleaves were made on two consecutive days at LASER World of Photonics in Munich, Germany in 2011, one of the industry's busiest shows. The interferograms were also snapped live during the show which is testament to the stability of the VFI-1200. The cleave initiation point is at 9-o-clock; the cleaves are very flat with a small amount of hackle indicating that the cleaver is well adjusted.

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