JP2000266939A - Optical fiber connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily constitute an optical fiber connector having wavelength selectivity by directly forming a multi-layer dielectric film on the end face of a core wire. SOLUTION: The core wire 1 of optical fiber 7 is inserted through the core wire insert hole 21 formed on a ferrule 2, the extreme end part of the optical fiber 7 is positioned and fitted to an optical fiber fixing recessed part 22, and the ferrule 2 is integrated with the optical fiber 7 by filling adhesive 6. In this case, the extreme end of the core wire 1 is exposed on the one end face of the ferrule 2. The one end face of the ferrule 2 on which the optical fiber fixing recessed part 22 is not formed is polished, and a dielectric multi-layer film 8 as a wavelength selective element is directly formed on the polished face. This film forming is executed by applying a generally known ion beam sputtering method or an atom beam sputtering method, and hence the strong and highly adhesive dielectric multi-layer film 8 can be formed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector, and more particularly, to an optical fiber connector having an integrated wavelength selecting element.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional example will be described with reference to FIG. FIG.
1 is a core wire of an optical fiber, 2 is a cylindrical ferrule, 3 is a wavelength selection element formed by forming a multilayer dielectric film 8 on an extremely thin substrate 9, 4 is a connector housing, 5 is a filling adhesive,
Reference numeral 6 denotes a filling adhesive, and reference numeral 7 denotes an optical fiber. Numeral 40 indicates an entire optical fiber connector having wavelength selectivity.

[0003] The connector housing 4 is formed with a deep round or square hole 41 extending from one end face thereof in the length direction thereof. At the bottom of the round or square hole 41 is a mounting hole 42
Are formed coaxially. An optical fiber insertion hole 44 is formed coaxially in the mounting hole 42. The ferrule 2 has a core wire insertion hole 21 extending from one end face thereof in the length direction. The core wire insertion hole 21 is open to an optical fiber fixing recess 22 formed on the other end face of the ferrule 2. Reference numeral 23 denotes a wavelength selection element insertion slit which is formed at an intermediate portion of the ferrule 2 so as to be inclined in a direction intersecting the core wire insertion hole 21. The wavelength selection element insertion slit 23 is formed by cutting while the core wire 1 is inserted through the core wire insertion hole 21. In this case, core wire 1
Is exposed at one end face of the ferrule 2.

A method of assembling the optical fiber connector 40 having the above wavelength selectivity will be described. First, ferrule 2
The core wire 1 of the optical fiber 7 is inserted into the core wire insertion hole 21 formed in
2 and the ferrule 2 and the optical fiber 7 are integrated by the filling adhesive 6. When the ferrule 2 and the optical fiber 7 are integrated, dicing is performed on the intermediate portion of the ferrule 2 in a direction intersecting the core wire insertion hole 21 and the core wire 1 to cut and form the insertion slit 23. Next, the wavelength selection element 3 is inserted into the insertion slit 23 and fixed with the filling adhesive 5. Here, the other end of the optical fiber 7 is connected to the round or square hole 41 of the connector housing 4.
Side of the ferrule 2, the optical fiber 7 is pulled out until the side on which the optical fiber 7 of the ferrule 2 is attached and fixed reaches the attachment hole 42.
The ferrule 2 is press-fitted and fixed. Thus, the assembly of the optical fiber connector 40 is completed with one end surface of the ferrule 2 exposed at the end surface of the optical fiber connector 40. An annular connector is formed between the inner surface of the connector housing 4 forming the round or square hole 41 and the outer surface of the ferrule 2 which is press-fitted and fixed in the mounting hole 42 and exposed in the round or square hole 41. The fitting portion 43 is configured.

As described above, the wavelength selecting element 3 having the multilayer dielectric film 8 formed on the extremely thin substrate 9 is accommodated in the ferrule 2 of the optical fiber connector 40 so as to have wavelength selectivity. Another conventional example will be described with reference to FIG. FIG.
, The same reference numerals as those in FIG. 4 indicate the same members.

Referring to FIG. 5A, a short optical fiber 7 'having a multilayer dielectric film 8 formed on a polished end face is fitted into the ferrule 2 from one end from the polished end face. Fix it together. Then, the optical fiber 7 is inserted into the ferrule 2 from the other end, and the end face of the optical fiber 7 is pressed and fixed to the multilayer dielectric film 8. Referring to FIG. 5B, the short optical fiber 7 'is fitted and fixed inside the ferrule 2 from one end. Then, the optical fiber 7 having the multilayer dielectric film 8 formed on the polished end face is inserted into the ferrule 2 from the other end from the polished end face side, and the multilayer dielectric film 8 is connected to the short optical fiber 7 ′. Press and fix to the end face of.

[0007]

By the way, in the conventional example shown in FIG.
And a dicing process is performed in a direction intersecting with the core wire 1 to cut and form an insertion slit 23, the wavelength selection element 3 is inserted into the insertion slit 23, and the filling adhesive 5 is filled, thereby obtaining a wavelength selection element. 3 is housed inside the optical fiber connector 40 to provide wavelength selectivity. If the thickness of the wavelength selection element 3 is large, the loss of transmitted light increases, so that the thinner the thickness of the wavelength selection element 3, the better the optical characteristics. The wavelength selection element 3 is 10 μm
Although a film having a thickness of about the same thickness is used, it usually has a structure in which a multilayer dielectric film 8 is formed on a substrate 9 made of glass or an organic material thin film. In this case, the thickness of the substrate 9 needs to be about several μm to about 20 μm from the viewpoint of strength. In addition, unless the width of the slit 23 into which the wavelength selection element 3 is inserted is set to be wider than the width of the wavelength selection element 3 by several μm or more, the slit cannot be actually inserted. Therefore, the wavelength selection element 3
Is several times larger than the thickness of the multilayer dielectric film 8 which substantially operates as a wavelength selection element. Therefore, it becomes a factor to increase the optical loss accordingly.

[0008] In the conventional example of FIG.
Is deposited on the polished end face of the short optical fiber 7 ′
Alternatively, a film is formed on the polished end face of the optical fiber 7 and the gap between the multilayer dielectric film 8 and the optical fiber is minimized by abutting the two optical fiber end faces inside the ferrule 2. The multilayer dielectric film 8
Optical transmission loss due to the existence of the gap between the optical fiber and the optical fiber can be reduced. However, in the conventional example shown in FIG. 5, a step of preparing a short optical fiber 7 'and polishing both end faces thereof, a step of polishing the end face of the optical fiber 7, and a step of coating the multilayer dielectric film 8 on one end face of the optical fiber. Since a film forming process is required and the multilayer dielectric film 8 is accommodated in the ferrule 2 of the optical fiber connector 40, it is not always easy to manufacture.

The present invention is to provide an optical fiber connector in which the above-mentioned problem is solved and the wavelength selecting element is integrated.

[0010]

Means for Solving the Problems Claim 1: Optical fiber 7
In the optical fiber connector in which the end faces of the core wires 1 face each other and are connected to each other, an optical fiber connector in which the multilayer dielectric film 8 is formed directly on the end face of the core wire 1 is formed. Claim 2: The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber 7 is provided with a ferrule 2 in which the front end of the core wire 1 is exposed and fixed to one end face. An optical fiber connector having a multilayer dielectric film 8 formed thereon was formed.

Further, in the optical fiber connector according to the present invention, the optical fiber connector includes a connector housing 4 to which the ferrule 2 is fixed. Claim 4: The optical fiber connector according to claim 3, wherein the connector housing 4 is formed with a round or square hole 41 extending from one end face thereof in the length direction. A mounting hole 42 is formed coaxially at the bottom of the mounting hole 41, and an optical fiber insertion hole 44 is formed at the bottom of the mounting hole 42.
Are formed coaxially through, and the round or square hole 4 of the connector housing 4 is formed.
1 and an outer surface of the ferrule 2 press-fitted and fixed to the mounting hole 42 from the other end surface of the ferrule 2 to form an optical connector having an annular connector fitting portion 43.

Claim 5: In the optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 2 to 4, one end face of the ferrule 2 is polished while being inclined with respect to the direction in which the optical fiber is drawn. An optical fiber connector was constructed. Claim 6: The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein the multilayer dielectric film 8 is formed by applying an ion beam sputtering method or an atomic beam sputtering method. Was configured.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiment shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, reference numerals common to reference numerals in the conventional example indicate the same members. The connector housing 4 of the optical fiber connector 40 is formed with a deep round or square hole 41 extending from one end face thereof in the length direction thereof. At the bottom of the round or square hole 41, a mounting hole 42 is formed coaxially. An optical fiber insertion hole 44 is formed coaxially in the mounting hole 42. The ferrule 2 has a core wire insertion hole 21 extending from one end face thereof in the length direction. The core wire insertion hole 21 is open to an optical fiber fixing recess 22 formed on the other end face of the ferrule 2. Reference numeral 8 denotes a dielectric multilayer film 8 formed by polishing the end face of the ferrule 2 and directly forming a film as a wavelength selection element on the polished surface.

A method of assembling the optical fiber connector 40 will be described. First, the core wire 1 of the optical fiber 7 is inserted into the core wire insertion hole 21 formed in the ferrule 2, the leading end of the optical fiber 7 is positioned and fitted into the optical fiber fixing recess 22, and the ferrule 2 is connected to the ferrule 2 by the filling adhesive 6. The optical fiber 7 is integrated. In this case, the tip of core wire 1 is ferrule 2
Is exposed on one end face of the Next, one end face of the ferrule 2 on which the optical fiber fixing concave portion 22 is not formed is polished, and a dielectric multilayer film 8 is directly formed as a wavelength selection element on the polished surface. This film formation is performed by applying a well-known and commonly used ion beam sputtering method or atomic beam sputtering method, and a strong and highly adhesive dielectric multilayer film 8 can be formed. Specifically, referring to FIG.
A ferrule container 6 is mounted on a substrate holder 80 which is rotated by a rotary drive shaft 81 in a vacuum vessel 50 of an ion beam sputtering apparatus or an atomic beam sputtering apparatus.
0 is fixed. Here, the ferrule 2 to which the optical fiber 7 is fixed is fixed to the ferrule fixing plate 61 by exposing only the polished end face on which the film is to be formed from the fixing hole 611 of the ferrule fixing plate 61. The winding frame 62 includes a lower flange 621 having a through-hole formed therein, an upper flange 622, and a winding drum section 623 connecting the two flanges. To accommodate the ferrule 2 in the ferrule container 60,
First, the ferrule 2 is fitted and fixed in the fixing hole 611 of the ferrule fixing plate 61, the optical fiber 7 connected to the ferrule 2 is pulled out from the tip through the through hole of the lower flange 621, and the optical fiber 7 is wound around the winding frame. A ferrule holding plate 61 is inserted into the ferrule container 60 from the upper flange 622 side, and the ferrule fixing plate 61 is fitted and fixed to the lower end opening of the ferrule container 60. . Here, by performing sputtering,
The dielectric multilayer film 8 can be formed directly on the polished end face of the ferrule 2.

Here, the other end of the optical fiber 7 is inserted from the round or square hole 41 side of the connector housing 4 into the optical fiber insertion hole 4.
4 until the side where the optical fiber 7 of the ferrule 2 is mounted and fixed reaches the mounting hole 42.
, And the ferrule 2 is press-fitted and fixed in the mounting hole 42. Thus, the assembly of the optical fiber connector 40 is completed with one end surface of the ferrule 2 on which the dielectric multilayer film 8 is formed and exposed to the end surface of the optical fiber connector 40. The inner surface of the connector housing 4 forming the round or square hole 41 and the mounting hole 42 are press-fitted and fixed to the round or square hole 4.
An annular connector fitting portion 43 is formed between the ferrule 2 and the outer surface of the ferrule 2 which are exposed in the inside 1.

As described above, the dielectric multilayer film 8 is formed directly on one end face of the ferrule 2 exposed on the end face of the optical fiber connector 40 so that the optical fiber connector 40 has wavelength selectivity. . Assuming that the light transmitted to the optical fiber connector 40 via the optical fiber 7 is a two-wavelength light having a wavelength of 1.5 μm and a light having a wavelength of 1.3 μm, in the case of the embodiment of FIG. The light having a wavelength of 1.3 μm is transmitted through the dielectric multilayer film 8 constituting the wavelength selection element, and the light having a wavelength of 1.5 μm which is not transmitted through the dielectric multilayer film is reflected and transmitted as return light to the side where the light was transmitted. The Rukoto. This return light is passed through the optical fiber 7 in front of the optical fiber connector 40 through a directional coupler that allows the 1.5 μm / 1.3 μm band light to pass and the 1.5 μm wavelength light to intervene. .5 μm return light can be separated and extracted.

Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The embodiment of FIG. 2 corresponds to the embodiment of FIG. 1 in which one exposed end face of the ferrule 2 is polished with an inclination, and a dielectric multilayer film 8 is formed here. By forming a dielectric multilayer film 8 as a wavelength selection element on the inclined and polished end face of the ferrule 2, a wavelength of 1.3 μm is obtained.
Although the light of m is transmitted through the dielectric multilayer film 8 as it is, the light of 1.5 μm wavelength is reflected obliquely upward without a directional coupler and attenuated without returning to the light source. The film 8 can be used as an element for blocking light in the 1.5 μm band.

The above-described optical fiber connector 40 has a configuration in which a dielectric multilayer film 8 is formed on an end face thereof, and the dielectric multilayer film 8 is exposed to the outside air. Each time the mating optical fiber connector is inserted into or removed from the optical fiber connector 40, the end face of the dielectric multilayer film 8 abuts. Therefore, the dielectric multilayer film 8 needs to have high environmental resistance and excellent insertion / extraction resistance. However, by performing this film formation by applying an ion beam sputtering method or an atomic beam sputtering method, The dielectric multilayer film 8 satisfying the requirements can be formed.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the results of an insertion / extraction test of the embodiment of the optical fiber connector. The horizontal axis shows the number of insertions and removals,
The vertical axis indicates connection loss. As you can see from the figure,
Embodiments of the fiber optic connector can withstand approximately 1000 insertions and removals.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, as in the prior art, a complicated process such as inserting a short optical fiber into a ferrule of a connector after polishing both ends thereof is adopted. The optical fiber connector having wavelength selectivity can be easily formed by simply fixing and polishing the optical fiber to the ferrule, and then simply forming a dielectric multilayer film on the end face of the ferrule where the core wire is exposed, without performing the process. Can be.

By employing ion sputtering technology or atomic beam sputtering technology to form and form the dielectric multilayer film, the dielectric multilayer film is exposed to the outside air and formed on the dielectric multilayer film. The end face abuts each time a mating optical fiber connector is inserted into or pulled out of the optical fiber connector, while maintaining a sufficiently stable state of optical characteristics.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the results of an insertion / extraction test of an example.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating another conventional example.

FIG. 6 illustrates sputtering.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 core wire 2 ferrule 3 wavelength selection element 4 connector housing 5 filling adhesive 6 filling adhesive 7 optical fiber 7 ′ short optical fiber 8 multilayer dielectric film 9 substrate 21 core wire insertion hole 22 optical fiber fixing recess 23 wavelength selection element insertion slit Reference Signs List 40 optical fiber connector 41 round or square hole 42 mounting hole 43 connector fitting part 44 optical fiber insertion hole 50 vacuum container 60 ferrule container 61 ferrule fixing plate 611 fixing hole 62 winding frame 621 lower flange 622 upper flange 623 winding drum Part 80 substrate holder 81 rotation drive shaft

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Sasaki 1-21-2 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kotaro Watase 1-21-2 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshio Suzuki 1-2-21 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H036 QA01 QA14 QA53 2H038 BA23

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An optical fiber connector comprising: a multi-layer dielectric film directly formed on an end face of a core wire, wherein the end faces of the core wires of the optical fiber are opposed to each other and connected to each other. 2. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, further comprising a ferrule in which an optical fiber is fixed by exposing a distal end of a core wire thereof to one end face thereof, and having a multi-layer dielectric on one end face thereof. An optical fiber connector having a film formed thereon. 3. The optical fiber connector according to claim 2, further comprising a connector housing to which the ferrule is fixed. 4. The optical fiber connector according to claim 3, wherein the connector housing is formed with a round or square hole extending in a length direction from one end face thereof, and a bottom of the round or square hole. A mounting hole is formed coaxially, an optical fiber insertion hole is formed coaxially through the bottom of the mounting hole, and an inner surface forming a round or square hole of the connector housing and the other end surface are pressed into the mounting hole. An optical fiber connector, wherein an annular connector fitting portion is formed between the fixed ferrule and the outer surface. 5. The optical fiber connector according to claim 2, wherein one end face of the ferrule is polished so as to be inclined with respect to a direction in which the optical fiber extends. An optical fiber connector, characterized in that: 6. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein the multilayer dielectric film is formed by applying an ion beam sputtering method or an atomic beam sputtering method. An optical fiber connector characterized in that: