JPH03153201A - End surface polishing method for optical fiber and optical fiber array - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form end surfaces of the optical fiber and the optical fiber array into lens surfaces without any difficult operation by polishing at least either of light incidence surfaces or light projection surfaces of the optical fiber and optical fiber array with an abrasive which is made to flow by a polishing device, and forming the lens surfaces are formed into the lens surfaces. CONSTITUTION:A couple of rotary rollers 4 are provided at a specific interval in a container 3 rotatably on center shafts 4a, and the abrasive 5 such as alumina is put in the container by a necessary amount. Then the couple of rotary rollers 4 are rotated by a driving device as shown by respective arrows to lift the abrasive 5 as shown by an arrow 5. When the optical fiber array 1 is inserted into the abrasive 5 with its end surface 1c down, the end surface 1c of the optical fiber array 1 is polished by a flow of the abrasive material 5. In general, a material which as a high refractive index is hard, so the outside clad layer 1b on the end surface 1c of the optical fiber array 1 is ground first to polish the end surface into a nearly spherical surface. Consequently, the end surfaces of the optical fiber and optical fiber array are formed into lens surfaces without any difficult operation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for polishing the end face of an optical fiber and an optical fiber array, and more particularly, to a method for polishing the end face of an optical fiber and an optical fiber array. The present invention relates to a method of polishing the end face of an optical fiber and an optical fiber array in which a lens surface is formed on the end face of the optical fiber.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in order to efficiently perform first input and output from an optical fiber, a lens surface has been formed on the light entrance surface and the light exit surface. These methods have been implemented, for example, by providing spherical lenses on the end faces of optical fibers, or by melting the end faces and then forming them into a spherical shape.

[The problem to be solved by the invention WB] However, the method described above requires very detailed work;
It was very difficult. Furthermore, when performing the above-mentioned processing on an optical fiber array that is formed integrally with multiple optical fibers from the manufacturing stage, arranging the ball lenses at the same pitch as the array of optical fibers means that the diameter of the optical fibers is several tens of microns. Considering this, processing is difficult, and there is a risk that melting the end face of an optical fiber will cause fusion with an adjacent optical fiber.

The present invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an end face polishing method for forming the end faces of optical fibers and optical fiber arrays into lens surfaces without requiring difficult work. There is.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the method for polishing the end face of optical fibers and optical fiber arrays of the present invention includes a step of flowing an abrasive material using a polishing device, and a step of flowing the abrasive material that has been made to flow. At least one end face of the light entrance surface and the light exit surface of an optical fiber whose core part is surrounded by a cladding part with a lower refractive index than the core part, or an optical fiber array formed integrally by bundling a plurality of them. and forming the end face into a lens surface.

[Operation] In the present invention having the above configuration, the abrasive material flowed by the polishing device polishes at least one end face of the light incidence surface and the light exit face of the optical fiber and the optical fiber array, and the end face is turned into a lens surface. to form.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 illustrates the optical fiber array 1 before polishing. The optical fiber array 1 is constructed by connecting a plurality of optical fibers, and each optical fiber is constructed in such a manner that a core layer 1a is surrounded by a cladding layer 1b having a lower refractive index than the core layer 1a. Further, the end surface 1c functions as a light entrance surface or a light exit surface.

Next, the polishing apparatus 2 used in this example will be explained using FIG.

Inside the container 3, a pair of rotating rollers 4 are provided rotatably about a central axis 4a at a predetermined distance apart, and a required amount of abrasive material 5 such as alumina is placed therein.

Next, the operation during polishing of the optical fiber array 1 will be explained. The pair of rotary rollers 4 are each driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow by a drive device (not shown), and lift the abrasive material 5 in the direction of the arrow. When the optical fiber array 1 is inserted into the abrasive material 5 with its end face IC facing down as shown in the figure, the end face IC of the optical fiber array 1 is polished by the flow of the abrasive material 5. Generally, materials with a higher refractive index are harder, so the outer cladding layer 1b of the end face IC of the optical fiber array 1 is ground first and polished into a substantially spherical lens surface, as shown in FIG. Become.

By gradually changing the abrasive material 5 to one with finer abrasive grains, a lens with desired precision can be obtained.

Further, a sheet-like optical fiber array 11 as shown in FIG. 4 can also be polished in a similar manner. (Here, the core layer, cladding layer, and end face are each 11a,
1 l b, 11 c) In this case as well, a curved surface that functions as a lens as shown in FIG. 5 is formed on the end face 11 c of the optical fiber array 11.

As is clear from the detailed description above, in the method for polishing the end faces of optical fibers and optical fiber arrays of the present embodiment, the end faces lc, llc of the optical fiber arrays 1 and 11 are Since the end faces 1c and llc are formed on the lens surface by polishing, the end faces 1c and llc of the optical fiber arrays 1 and 11 are formed without the need for difficult work.
c can be formed on the lens surface.

Although this embodiment describes the case where the optical fiber array 11, which is a combination of a plurality of optical fibers, is polished, the present invention is also applicable to polishing a single ordinary optical fiber.

Further, the polishing device 2 is not limited to the configuration in this embodiment, and may be a device that polishes the end faces of optical fibers and optical fiber arrays by spraying an abrasive material onto them.

Other changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above detailed description, in the method for polishing the end face of optical fibers and optical fiber arrays of the present invention, the polishing material flowed by the polishing device polishes the optical fibers,
Alternatively, at least one end surface of the light entrance surface and the light exit surface of an optical fiber array formed integrally by bundling a plurality of them is polished, and the end surface is formed into a lens surface.
The end faces of optical fibers and optical fiber arrays can be formed on lens surfaces without requiring difficult work.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 5 show embodiments embodying the present invention. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure and operation of a polishing device, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an optical fiber array before polishing. , 3rd
Figures (a) and (b) are a plan view and side view of the optical fiber array after polishing, Figure 4 is a perspective view of the sheet-like optical fiber array before polishing, and Figures 5 (a) and (b). 2 is a plan view and a side view of the sheet-like optical fiber array after polishing. FIG. In the figure, 1.11 is an optical fiber array, 1a and 11a are core layers, lb and llb are cladding layers, and lc. 11c is an end face, 2 is a polishing device, and 5 is an abrasive material.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A step of flowing an abrasive material using a polishing device, and inserting into the fluidized abrasive material an optical fiber whose core portion is surrounded by a cladding portion having a lower refractive index than the cladding portion, or the like. A step of inserting an end surface of at least one of a light entrance surface and a light exit surface of an optical fiber array integrally formed by bundling a plurality of optical fibers, and forming the end surface into a lens surface. A method for polishing the end face of an optical fiber array.