US20120027356A1 - Mating of optical fibers having angled end faces - Google Patents
Mating of optical fibers having angled end faces Download PDFInfo
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- US20120027356A1 US20120027356A1 US12/847,654 US84765410A US2012027356A1 US 20120027356 A1 US20120027356 A1 US 20120027356A1 US 84765410 A US84765410 A US 84765410A US 2012027356 A1 US2012027356 A1 US 2012027356A1
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- 230000013011 mating Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 57
- 239000013307 optical fiber Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 54
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 179
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 59
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 34
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 20
- 238000005498 polishing Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 7
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 7
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000007521 mechanical polishing technique Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000004593 Epoxy Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001154 acute effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013459 approach Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000015556 catabolic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005253 cladding Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001427 coherent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000295 complement effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002788 crimping Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000006731 degradation reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009826 distribution Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005304 joining Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005693 optoelectronics Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000037361 pathway Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
- G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
- G02B6/381—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres
- G02B6/3818—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres of a low-reflection-loss type
- G02B6/382—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres of a low-reflection-loss type with index-matching medium between light guides
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
- G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
- G02B6/381—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres
- G02B6/3818—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres of a low-reflection-loss type
- G02B6/3822—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres of a low-reflection-loss type with beveled fibre ends
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49002—Electrical device making
- Y10T29/49117—Conductor or circuit manufacturing
- Y10T29/49194—Assembling elongated conductors, e.g., splicing, etc.
- Y10T29/49195—Assembling elongated conductors, e.g., splicing, etc. with end-to-end orienting
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates generally to mating of optical fibers, and more particularly, to mating fibers prepared to have angled end faces.
- Fiber optic communication systems include optical connectors that mate segments of optical fibers. The principal function of an optical fiber connector is to hold a fiber end such that the core of the fiber is axially aligned with the optical path of the fiber component, etc. to which the connector is mated, e.g., so that light from the one fiber is optically coupled to another. This is achieved by holding the end of the fiber such that the core of the fiber is axially aligned with the optical pathway of the mating fiber. By way of example, optical fibers may be mated at a splice, e.g., within a single connector, or may be mated between one or more connectors or optoelectronic devices.
- To facilitate an effective optical coupling between a connector and another connector or other device, the end face of the connector's ferrule is typically polished. Preparing a polished ferrule is a sophisticated process. It requires cleaving the fibers, terminating them in a ferrule, and polishing the ferrule to exacting tolerances. Therefore, such a process is usually performed in a controlled setting with precision equipment by skilled personnel. Frequently, however, connectors must be terminated in the field where such facilities and personnel are not available. Under these conditions, it is desirable to omit the step of polishing the ferrule by instead splicing the field fiber to a fiber stub already terminated within a polished ferrule of a connector. Because the ferrule is already polished in a fiber-stub, field-installable connector, field installation requires only optically coupling the field fiber to the fiber stub by forming a splice therebetween.
- Conventional technology involves perpendicular cleaving of the fiber ends to create a fiber end face that is substantially planar, and substantially normal to an axis of the fiber. The ends of the fibers are typically mated by introducing a refractive index-matched gel to improve optical coupling therebetween. The optical reflectance of such a joint is typically 40-60 dB under ambient temperature conditions, which is suitable for many optical communication applications. However, as the connector temperature departs from the ambient, the refractive index of the gel changes, which increases the reflectance at the splice. This increase can cause degradation of the optical signal, particularly when coherent light sources are used for signal propagation.
- It has been found that improved optical connections can be made, with and without index matching gel, by mating fibers that have been prepared to have an angled end face, e.g., one that is substantially flat but that is not substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the fiber. Various techniques and tools for providing an angled end face are well known in the art. Providing an angled end face tends to cause light reflected at the fiber interface to be reflected at an angle into the cladding of the fiber, rather than back down the fiber core where it can interfere and diminish forward-propagating optical signals. Such mating arrangements can therefore improve (increase) return loss, which is the ratio of input power to reflected power.
- Though the advantages of angle cleaved fibers is well-known, conventional wisdom holds that in order to mate an angle cleaved fiber, the mating fiber must be similarly angle cleaved. Further, conventional wisdom holds that the angle-cleaved launch fiber must be rotationally aligned to mate with the angle-cleaved receive fiber (i.e., they must be rotationally positioned 180 degrees out of phase with respect to rotation about a common optical axis, as shown in
FIG. 1 .) to optically couple properly. - As noted in U.S. Pat. No. 7,567,743, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, if there is even slight rotational misalignment (e.g., up to 15 degrees of angular rotation about a common optical axis from the 180 degrees out-of-phase position), the angled end faces of the launch and receive fibers will physically interfere and create a longitudinal gap between two fibers. Thus, conventional wisdom holds that to properly terminate an angle cleaved fiber in the field, it must be cleaved in the same manner (e.g., at the same angle) as the mating fiber and be precisely rotationally aligned with the mating fiber.
- Keeping the fibers/ferrules properly oriented rotationally is complicated by the fact that the angle of the cleave cannot be perceived by the naked eye. Accordingly, to avoid rotational misalignment, complex and relatively expensive tools and techniques were developed. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,567,743 and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2009/0180742, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, disclose devices for precisely rotationally aligning, and mating in complementary fashion, fibers having matching angled cleaves.
- Therefore, an approach is needed for simplifying mating of angle cleaved fibers that eliminates the need for such complex tools and techniques, and that ensures a connection or splice providing return loss/reflectance within an acceptable range. The present invention fulfills this need among others.
- The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
- Generally, the present invention provides for a method for mating optical fibers, a fiber optic connector, and a fiber optic subassembly in which mating fibers have angled end faces joined by index matching fluid, but in which the angle end faces of the fibers are positioned relative to one another in rotationally misaligned relationship. In other words, the fibers are mated in positions other than in the precise rotationally aligned position (180 degrees out of phase in rotation about a common optical axis, +/−15 degrees). Accordingly, the need to precisely align mating fibers, as widely recognized in the prior art, is avoided, and yet a satisfactory optical connection may be obtained. Further, the present invention permits random relative rotational orientation of mating fibers, thus eliminating the need to precisely align fibers for mating purposes.
- By way of background, Applicants discovered unexpectedly that optical fibers can be spliced to provide satisfactory optical connections for most applications, without the need for matched cleaves, and without the need for precise rotational alignment of the cleaves, provided that angled end faces are provided on both the launch and receive fibers and that index matching gel is provided between the angled end faces.
- More specifically, one aspect of the present invention provides a method for mating optical fibers that involves angle cleaving a first optical fiber to provide a launch fiber having an angled end face, and a second optical fiber to provide a receive fiber having a respective angled end face. The method further involves applying index matching fluid adjacent one of the angled end faces, positioning the angled end faces in close and rotationally misaligned relationship with the index matching fluid therebetween, and securing at least one of the first and second optical fibers to maintain rotational misalignment between the angled end faces. Thus, the fibers are mated without taking care to ensure that the mating fibers are in precise rotational alignment. Optionally, the angled end faces are rotationally positioned about a common optical axis less than 165 degrees out of phase, or less than 150 degrees out of phase.
- Another aspect of the present invention provides a fiber optic connector including a housing, a ferrule having a distal end, the ferrule being supported on the housing, and a fiber stub secured in the ferrule, the fiber stub having a first end adjacent the ferrule's distal end and a second end positioned proximally of the distal end, the second end having an angled end face. The connector further includes a mating optical fiber, secured to the housing, that has a respective angled end face positioned in close and rotationally misaligned relationship with the angled end face of the fiber stub to form a splice. The connector further includes index matching fluid positioned between the angled end faces of the fiber stub and the mating optical fiber. The angled end faces may be matched or mismatched. Further, the angled end faces may be rotationally positioned less than 165 degrees, or less than 150 degrees, out of phase about a common optical axis.
- Another aspect of the present invention provides a fiber optic subassembly that includes a housing joining first and second optical fibers having angled end faces that are positioned in close and rotationally misaligned relationship, with index matching fluid positioned therebetween to form an optical connection. The angled end faces may be matched or mismatched. Optionally, the angled end faces may be rotationally positioned less than 165 degrees out of phase, or less than 150 degrees out of phase, about a common optical axis.
- The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following drawings in which:
-
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of optical fibers having exemplary matching angle-cleaved end faces, and shown in rotational alignment (180 degrees out of phase along a common optical axis) for mating in accordance with prior art mating techniques; -
FIGS. 2 a-2 c are diagrammatic side views of exemplary of optical fibers prepared to have angle-cleaved end faces for use in accordance with the present invention; -
FIGS. 3 , 4 and 5 are a diagrammatic side views of optical fibers having exemplary matching angle-cleaved end faces, and shown in rotational misalignment (in phase along a common optical axis) for mating in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic side view of optical fibers ofFIG. 3 , shown in rotational misalignment (90 degrees out of phase along a common optical axis) for mating in accordance with the present invention; -
FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic side views of optical fibers having unmatched angle-cleaved end faces, and shown in rotational misalignment (in phase along a common optical axis) for mating in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic end view showing relative positions of exemplary mated fibers consistent with the present invention; -
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an exemplary fiber optic connector including mating fibers spliced within a connector in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 11 is a view of an exemplary fiber optic subassembly including mating fibers spliced within a connector in accordance with the present invention; and -
FIGS. 12 a and 12 b are graphical representations of data showing a relationship between return loss and relative fiber positions for an exemplary test. - Referring again to
FIG. 1 , exemplary optical fibers are shown in diagrammatic side view. This arrangement is typical of the prior art in that both the launch and receivefibers FIG. 1 . - Further, the
exemplary fibers FIG. 1 are shown arranged in a typical prior art arrangement for satisfactory optical coupling in that they are positioned in conventional rotational alignment. As user herein “rotational alignment” and “rotationally aligned” refer to relative positions of thefibers - Referring now to
FIGS. 2 a-2 c, various exemplary angled end faces are shown. For example,FIG. 2 a shows anexemplary fiber 10 having a substantiallyflat end face 12 that is angled relative to a plane substantially normal to the optical axis AA' of thefiber 10. As is well known in the art for angled-style fibers, the angle θ preferably falls within the range of about 1 to about 30 degrees, and most preferably within a range of about 4 degrees to about 12 degrees, to avoid a level of insertion losses that exceeds desirable limits for many optical communications applications. By way of example, such a substantiallyflat end face 12 may be formed by mechanically cleaving the fiber using known tooling and techniques, such as a bend-to-angle cleaving technique or a twist-to-angle cleaving technique. Any suitable technique may be used. Optionally, a conventional mechanical polishing technique may be used to provide the desired substantiallyflat end face 12. -
FIG. 2 b shows anexemplary fiber 10 having achamfered end face 12. The chamfered end face has afirst portion 14 that is angled relative to a plane substantially normal to the optical axis AA' of thefiber 10. As is well known in the art for angled-style fibers, the angle θ preferably falls within the range of about 1 to about 30 degrees, and most preferably with a range of about 4 degrees to about 12 degrees, to avoid an undesirable level of insertion losses. Thechamfered end face 12 further includes asecond portion 16 that is substantially normal to the optical axis AA'. The chamfered end face has a face width d, as shown inFIG. 2 b. Preferably, the width d is selected such that thesecond portion 16 does not impinge significantly upon the fiber's optical power distribution, which is concentrated within the fiber'score 18, as well known in the art. Preferably, d falls within a range of about 20 μm to 50 μm. The inclusion offirst portion 16, relative to a substantially flat angled end face, is particularly advantageous in closing a gap between the core 18 of the chamfered fiber and any mating fiber. By way of example, such achamfered end face 12 may be formed by mechanically cleaving the fiber using known tooling and techniques, and then using a conventional mechanical polishing technique to provide the first andsecond portions chamfered end face 12. Any suitable technique may be used. -
FIG. 2 c shows anexemplary fiber 10 having aradiused end face 12. Theradiused end face 12 may have afirst portion 14 that is angled relative to a plane substantially normal to the optical axis AA' of thefiber 10, at angle θ within the range of about 1 to about 30 degrees, and most preferably about 4 degrees to about 12 degrees. Theradiused end face 12 further includes asecond portion 15, and optionally athird portion 17, that are curved out of a plane substantially normal to the optical axis AA'. Optionally, theseportions first portion 15 is particularly advantages in closing a gap between the core 18 of the radiused fiber and any mating fiber. By way of example, such aradiused end face 12 may be formed by a conventional laser cleaving technique. Any suitable technique may be used. -
FIGS. 3 , 4 and 5 are a diagrammatic side views ofoptical fibers fibers FIG. 1 . However, in accordance with the present invention, thefibers FIG. 3 are shown mated in rotational misalignment, and with index matching fluid/gel 80 positioned therebetween, i.e. in the space between the angled end faces 12, 52 of thefibers FIG. 3 , onefiber 50 is shown in a position that is at 0 degrees of rotation about common optical axis AA', relative tofiber 10. In this position,fibers FIG. 1 shows similar fibers positioned at 180 degrees of rotation, about common optical axis AA, relative to one another. -
FIGS. 4 and 5 also show fibers in mating position (in rotational misalignment) in accordance with the present invention. Further, the exemplary mating fibers ofFIGS. 4 and 5 have matching angle-cleaved end faces 12, 52.FIG. 4 shows mating of fibers having matching chamfered end faces 12, 52.FIG. 5 shows mating offibers -
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic side view of optical fibers ofFIG. 3 , shown out of rotational alignment, i.e. in rotational misalignment, consistent with the present invention. More specifically,FIG. 6 shows for illustrative purposesexemplary fibers fibers fibers -
FIGS. 3-6 are illustrative of embodiments of the present invention in which both the launch fiber and the receive fiber have similar (matched) end face configurations. In contrast,FIGS. 7 and 8 are illustrative of embodiments of the present invention in which the launch fiber and the receive fiber have dissimilar (mismatched) end face configurations. For example.FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic side view ofoptical fibers fiber 10 has a substantiallyflat end face 12 andfiber 50 has aradiused end face 52. By way of further illustration,FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic side view ofoptical fibers fiber 10 has a substantiallyflat end face 12 andfiber 50 has a chamferedend face 52. Any combination of fiber end faces may be employed consistent with the present invention, provided that each fiber includes a mating end face that is angle cleaved. Consistent with the present invention, each pair ofmating fibers FIGS. 6-8 is shown in rotational misalignment in accordance with the present invention. In the examples ofFIGS. 6-8 , the fibers are shown in positions such thatfiber 50 is rotationally positioned at 0 degrees of rotation about common optical axis AA', relative tofiber 10. However, it will be appreciated that, consistent with the present invention, the fibers may be positioned at any relative rotational positions, and thus precise alignment of the angled end faces of the mating fibers is not required. It will be further appreciated that mated fibers that have angled end faces that are rotationally positioned about a common optical axis less than 150 degrees out of phase (clockwise or counterclockwise) are preferred, and less than 135 out of phase are most preferred. This relationship is best shown inFIG. 9 . - The mating of fibers in accordance with the present invention may be used to optically couple fibers in a splice within a connector. For example,
FIG. 10 shows an exemplary fiber optic connector including a splice within a connector. In this example, the connector is an SC style connector. Referring now toFIG. 10 , it is noted that theconnector 100 includes ahousing 110, aferrule 120 supported on thehousing 110. The ferrule has adistal end 122. As is typical of field-installable connectors, theexemplary connector 100 includes afiber stub 130 secured in theferrule 120. Thefiber stub 130 has afirst end 132 adjacent the ferrule'sdistal end 122, and asecond end 134 positioned proximally of thedistal end 122. Consistent with the present invention, the second end of thefiber stub 130 has an angled end face 136 (analogous to end faces 12 and 52 ofFIGS. 2 a-8). The connector further includes a matingoptical fiber 140 secured to thehousing 110. Consistent with the present invention, the matingoptical fiber 140 has a respectiveangled end face 146 positioned in close and rotationally misaligned relationship with theangled end face 136 of thefiber stub 130, to form a splice. Index matching fluid is positioned between the angled end faces 136, 146 in accordance with the present invention. - In the example of
FIG. 10 , thefiber stub 130 and the matingoptical fiber 140 have matched angled end faces (specifically, substantially flat angled end faces 136, 146). However, it will be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, thefiber stub 130 and the matingoptical fiber 140 have mismatched angled end faces. Further, the angled end faces are rotationally positioned less than 165 degrees out of phase about a common optical axis, and preferably less than 150 degrees out of phase. - In an alternative embodiment, the ferrule is a multi-fiber ferrule. In such an embodiment, the connector includes a corresponding plurality of fiber stubs secured in the ferrule, and a plurality of mating optical fibers secured to the housing. Similarly, each mating optical fiber has a respective angled end face positioned in close and rotationally misaligned relationship with a respective angled end face of a respective fiber stub to form a splice, with index matching fluid positioned therebetween.
- Another aspect of the present invention provides a fiber optic subassembly. An
exemplary subassembly 150 is shown inFIG. 11 . In such a subassembly, the technology described above is used to mate/splice fibers to form a semi-permanent splice within a housing, as is often performed in the field. Accordingly, thesubassembly 150 includes first and secondoptical fibers housing 170. Each fiber has anangled end face second fibers - Fiber optic splices consistent with the present invention may be made by a method including angle cleaving first and second optical fibers to provide a launch and receive fibers having angled end faces. Any suitable technique may be used to create the angled end face, including mechanical cleaving, mechanical polishing and laser cleaving, as discussed above. Further, the angled end faces may be matched or mismatched, and each angled end face may have any suitable angled configuration, such as substantially flat, chamfered, or radiused, as discussed above.
- The method further includes applying index matching fluid adjacent at least one of the angled end faces. Any suitable index matching fluid may be used. The method further includes positioning the angled end faces in close and rotationally misaligned relationship with index matching fluid therebetween. As used herein, “close” relationship means with that the distal ends of the fibers are positioned within 25 μm of each other, and that preferably the angled end faces/fibers/ferrules are in physical contact. The method further includes securing at least one of the first and second optical fibers to maintain rotational misalignment between the angled end faces. For example, this may include applying and curing a suitable epoxy, or crimping a suitable connector.
- By way example, positioning the angled end faces in close and rotationally misaligned relationship may involve positioning the angled end faces such that they are rotationally positioned about a common optical axis less than 165 degrees, or less than 150 degrees, or less than 135 degrees, out of phase.
- A test was conducted in which LightCrimp Splice connectors, manufactured and/or distributed by Tyco Electronics Corporation of Berwyn, Pa., were prepared to include optical fibers having 8 degree chamfered angled end faces prepared by mechanically polishing. Insertion loss measurements were taken using 1310 nm and 1550 nm wavelength lasers at relative rotational fiber positions of 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees and 270 degrees. As illustrated in
FIG. 12 a, there was statistically no observed difference in connector return loss when comparing the 180 degree (complementarily aligned, or rotationally aligned, orientation), and the rotationally misaligned positions. Furthermore, this same trend was observed upon comparison of the insertion losses as shown inFIG. 12 b. - Table 1 shows data for a test in which the RecordSplice device manufactured and/or distributed by Tyco Electronics Corporation of Berwyn, Pa., was used to prepare connections by mechanically cleaving fibers to have 8 degree angled end faces. Further, insertion loss and return loss measurements were taken using 1310, 1550 and 1625 nm wavelength lasers at a plurality of rotationally misaligned positions of the mating fibers. Surprisingly, as will be appreciated from the Table 1, in no case was return loss measured to be less than 60 dB, which is considered a relevant threshold in many analog telecommunication applications. Also surprising, insertion loss varied relatively little with respect to all the relative angular orientations.
-
TABLE 1 Relative Rotational Insertion Loss (dB) Return Loss (dB) Angle (degrees) 1310 1550 1625 1310 1550 1625 0 0.07 0.10 0.12 73.7 75.6 80 150 0.07 0.07 0.11 73.7 68.6 69.8 0 0.06 0.06 0.09 71.2 71.3 74.4 150 0.10 0.10 0.11 80 76.2 80 0 0.09 0.12 0.17 76.1 76.6 80 120 0.04 0.07 0.10 76.1 76.6 77.3 0 0.09 0.10 0.13 80 80 77.2 120 0.08 0.11 0.14 71.5 70.1 73.6 0 0.06 0.05 0.08 73.9 75.5 76.2 90 0.13 0.13 0.15 74 76 73.6 0 0.05 0.07 0.10 74.5 74.1 76.1 90 0.12 0.14 0.14 74.5 74.3 77.1 0 0.09 0.13 0.13 80 74.6 80 210 0.10 0.13 0.16 80 74.8 76.8 0 0.09 0.09 0.11 74.6 76.5 77.4 210 0.12 0.11 0.13 80 74.1 77.1 0 0.06 0.08 0.10 74.1 74.7 76.9 240 0.06 0.10 0.11 74.1 74.1 76.4 0 0.08 0.09 0.13 80 76.6 77.4 240 0.09 0.10 0.10 72 71 76.7 0 0.08 0.07 0.10 80 75.8 76.6 270 0.07 0.08 0.13 69.8 66.4 63.6 0 0.12 0.14 0.15 74.9 76.7 80 270 0.10 0.09 0.14 74.9 73.9 74.2 - Accordingly, Applicants discovered unexpectedly that optical fibers can be mated, in connectors and at splices, to provide satisfactory optical connections for most applications, without the need for matched cleaves, and without the need for precise rotational alignment of the cleaves, provided that angled end faces are provided on both the launch and receive fibers and that index matching gel is provided between the angled end faces. Thus, fibers may be satisfactorily mated relatively easily and inexpensively, particularly in the field, without the need for specialized tools ore particular care to align the launch and receive fibers.
- While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred mode as illustrated in the drawing, it will be understood by one skilled in the art that various changes in detail may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
Claims (19)
Priority Applications (4)
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PCT/US2011/001307 WO2012015470A1 (en) | 2010-07-30 | 2011-07-25 | Mating of optical fibers having angled end faces |
US13/360,924 US8308374B2 (en) | 2010-07-30 | 2012-01-30 | Mating of optical fibers having angled end faces |
US13/657,958 US8469603B2 (en) | 2010-07-30 | 2012-10-23 | Mating of optical fibers having angled end faces |
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US8702322B1 (en) | 2013-06-03 | 2014-04-22 | Corning Cable Systems Llc | Optical connector with adhesive material |
US8753021B1 (en) | 2013-02-12 | 2014-06-17 | Corning Cable Systems Llc | Adhesives for securing optical fibers to ferrules of optical connectors and methods for use thereof |
US8755654B1 (en) | 2013-05-10 | 2014-06-17 | Corning Cable Systems Llc | Coating removal systems for optical fibers |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2012015470A1 (en) | 2012-02-02 |
US8308374B2 (en) | 2012-11-13 |
US8469603B2 (en) | 2013-06-25 |
US20120128304A1 (en) | 2012-05-24 |
US8104974B1 (en) | 2012-01-31 |
US20130044981A1 (en) | 2013-02-21 |
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