MEMORY POLYMER MULTIPLE CAVITY FIBER SPLICER

The present invention involves a multiple cavity optical fiber splice made of a unistructural mass of inherent shape memory polymer material. The unistructural mass has a longitudinal dimension with opposite ends which includes at least a first bore at one end and at least a second bore and a third bore at the other end wherein the bores go into the mass and at least two connect to each other. The unistructural mass has two shapes, the first shape is a unique, recoverable, predetermined inherent shape wherein each bore has a preset diameter to accommodate and tightly hold end segments of denuded optical fibers of predetermined diameter and the second shape is a deformed shape which may be caused by solvent swelling and partial shrinking of the inherent memory polymer material such that each bore has enlarged predetermined diameters greater than the diameters of the segments of the denuded optical fibers so as to freely receive the end segments of the denuded optical fibers. The mass may be initially formed in the first shape, and may be then swollen and shrunk to its second shape. It is capable of being returned to its first shape by application of a non-mechanical stimulus.