WO1985002025A1 - Connexions de fibres optiques - Google Patents

Connexions de fibres optiques Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1985002025A1
WO1985002025A1 PCT/US1984/001560 US8401560W WO8502025A1 WO 1985002025 A1 WO1985002025 A1 WO 1985002025A1 US 8401560 W US8401560 W US 8401560W WO 8502025 A1 WO8502025 A1 WO 8502025A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
master
fibers
metal member
end termination
electroformed
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1984/001560
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Ralph Lawton Ragan
Original Assignee
American Telephone & Telegraph Company
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by American Telephone & Telegraph Company filed Critical American Telephone & Telegraph Company
Priority to KR1019850700099A priority Critical patent/KR850700159A/ko
Priority to JP1985600007U priority patent/JPS61500002U/ja
Publication of WO1985002025A1 publication Critical patent/WO1985002025A1/fr

Links

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
    • G02B6/389—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs characterised by the method of fastening connecting plugs and sockets, e.g. screw- or nut-lock, snap-in, bayonet type
    • 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
    • G02B6/3833—Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture
    • G02B6/3855—Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture characterised by the method of anchoring or fixing the fibre within the ferrule
    • 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
    • G02B6/3873—Connectors using guide surfaces for aligning ferrule ends, e.g. tubes, sleeves, V-grooves, rods, pins, balls
    • G02B6/3885—Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type

Definitions

  • This invention relates to optical fiber connectors and, more particularly, to means for connecting or splicing optical fiber arrays, and of methods of making such connecting means.
  • end terminations for the fiber cables In the use of fiber optics for communications purposes, end terminations for the fiber cables, regardless of cable configuration, must be of such accuracy of manufacture and mounting as to be amenable to reliable, low loss connecting and splicing. Inasmuch as single fibers are on the order of fifty to one hundred and fifty microns in diameter, it is obvious that even in the most primitive of end terminations or connectors, extremely close tolerances have to be maintained if accurate, low loss connections are to be made.
  • the connector itself comprises a first silicon block having accurately spaced and aligned trapezoidal or V-shaped grooves etched therein, each groove being designed to accommodate a single fiber.
  • a V-shaped groove is in general, a characteristic of the photolithograph process.
  • a second substantially identically grooved block forms a sandwich within the first block and the fibers and they are cemented together by a suitable adhesive, such as epoxy cement.
  • the end face of the sandwich is ground and polished to a flat, mirrorlike finish to insure proper abutment with a similar end terminal on the fiber group to be spliced or joined.
  • the joined sandwiches are enclosed by silicon members which are negative configurations of the grooved members, and the entire assembly is clamped together by spring clips.
  • OMPI arrangement properly made and ' assembled, gives low loss, typically in the neighborhood of 0.1 db.
  • the end terminal or coupler as just described is fully disclosed in The Western Electric Engineer, Vo. XXIV, No. 1, Winter, 1980, in a two part article "Interconnection For Lightguide Fibers", pp. 87-101, particularly p. 93.
  • silicon chip connector and variations thereof, have proven to afford low loss connections or splices because of the accuracy achievable in the photolithographic process, which is used to form the grooves.
  • drawbacks or shortcomings to such a connector which, while not vital to a properly constructed connector, would, nonetheless, be better eliminated or alleviated.
  • silicon is somewhat fragile, brittle, and susceptible to thermal shock and care must be taken in transporting the optical fiber assembly to the field, where connection is to be made, inasmuch as the wafer itself can be broken, or the grooves damaged, by careless handling.
  • cement Likewise a problem is the necessity of using cement in order to construct the sandwich. Cements that have proved adequate for this purpose are usually slow in curing, hence the sandwich must remain immobile for an extended time to insure proper cementing.
  • a metal termination would eliminate a number of these aforementioned drawbacks.
  • a metal termination would be more likely to stand up under field conditions, being less susceptible to breakage or damage.
  • certain metals adaptable for such use are cheaper in bulk and manufacturing processing than silicon, and hence, in large quantity connectorization, could represent considerable savings.
  • the required accuracy and precision for producing the grooves in the metal termination would, in most cases, make the cost of individual terminations prohibitive, negating any cost advantage gained through the use of metal.
  • the present invention is a method of making end termination for fiber cables out of metal, in which the necessary precision is achieved, without the prohibitively costly production of the grooves therein and which produces grooves of a cross-sectional shape that are not restricted to the characteristic V-shape.
  • the invention also includes such end termination, both with or without grooves, possessing the accuracy and precision for both vertical and lateral alignment of the fibers therein.
  • the invention relies, to a large extent, on the accuracy that can be achieved from electroforming metal.
  • Electroforming can be performed so accurately and precisely that it's a commonly used method for forming diffraction grating, where tolerances are measured in Angstroms.
  • a master mold that is the negative of the article to be produced, is inserted in a plating bath consisting of, for example, a nickel sulphate solution, to function as a cathode.
  • a block of the metal, such as substantially pure nickel, to be deposited on the master is inserted as the anode.
  • the nickel will be plated on the master which may be, for example, stainless steel.
  • electroforming as opposed to electroplating, a relatively thick layer is deposited, sufficiently thick to permit use as an end product, and not as a plated coating.
  • the plated master is removed from the bath, and the nickel separated from the master, which is not difficult especially when the metals have material differences in thermal coefficients of expansion.
  • 300 Series stainless steel has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 5.3 micromillimeter per millimeter per degree Celsius, while that of nickel is 3.7 micromillimeter per millimeter per degree Celsius.
  • the resulting nickel member is a substantially exact positive (or negative) of the master. In addition, it is of substantially 99% or better purity since impure ions from the anode fall out naturally. If the master was formed with the desired precision, the nicke
  • O PI_ eletroformed member will also have the desired precision.
  • No. 316 stainless steel has excellent precision machining qualities and is highly resistant to the corrosive effects of the nickel sulfate bath. It may then be ground to the desired thickness and transverse dimensions. While the electroforming process is time consuming, the master may be used indefinitely, and, with a sufficient number of masters, it is obvious that large numbers of nickel end terminations may be electroformed simultaneously and/or in seriatim.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view of a twelve fiber array tape, as commonly used
  • FIG. 1A is a plan view of the array of FIG. 1 in which a portion of the tape has been removed in preparation for the attaching of an end termination;
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a master mold for electroforming a plurality of end terminations?
  • FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the electroforming operation
  • FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an electroformed member containing a plurality of end terminations-
  • FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of an end termination made in accordance with the process of FIGS. 2 through 4?
  • FIG. 6 is a plan view of a step in the making of a second embodiment of the termination of the invention showing the stripped fibers arranged in a channel of the master mold;
  • FIG. 7 is a plan view of another step in the making of the second embodiment'
  • FIG. 7A is a sectional view along the line A-A of FIG. 7?
  • FIG. 8 shows the arrangement of FIG. 7 after the electroforming step-
  • FIG. 9 shows the electroformed portion of the termination-
  • FIG. 9A is a sectional view along the line A-A of FIG. 9- FIG. 10 is a view of a step subsequent to that in
  • FIG. 9 in the making of the end termination is
  • FIG. 10A is a view along the line A-A of FIG. 10:
  • FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of an end termination of the present invention. Detailed Description
  • FIG. 1 there is shown a twelve fiber array tape sandwich 11 comprising twelve equally spaced fibers 12, 12 sandwiched between two strips 13, 14 of suitable flexible tape such as, for example, MYLAR.
  • FIG. 1A the sandwich of FIG. 1 has been prepared for attachment of an end termination thereto by removal of a portion of tapes 13, 14.
  • FIG. 2 there is depicted in perspective an electroforming master 16 for making a plurality of end terminations.
  • Master 16 is preferably made of a relative corrosion proof, durable, accurately machinable metal
  • Master 16 comprises a rectangular block 17, having a plurality of grooves 18, 18, machined longitudinally therein, and a second plurality of grooves 19 , 19 machined transversely thereacross.
  • Grooves 18, 18 have machined longitudinally therein, for example, parallel lands and grooves which must be machined extremely accurately such as by etching, precision grinding, or by techniques used in manufacturing diffraction gratings.
  • Press-fitted into the transverse slots 19, 19 is a plurality of bars 21 , 21 , so that there is formed on the face of master 16 a plurality of cells 22, 22 each of which in turn defines the negative of an end termination.
  • a hanger bar 23 fits through a hole 24 drilled in member 16, to hold the master 16 within the electroforming bath.
  • FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic rendering of the electro ⁇ forming operation, which, in its simplest form requires a tank 26 filled with suitable electrolyte 27 , such as a nickel sulfamat or other appropriate nickel electrolytes, in which master 16 hangs.
  • suitable electrolyte 27 such as a nickel sulfamat or other appropriate nickel electrolytes, in which master 16 hangs.
  • a second hanger 28 holds a nickel anode 29 within the electrolyte, spaced from master 16.
  • the voltage sources, switches, and connections have not been shown, inasmuch as they are well known in the art and would simply complicate the figure.
  • Typical examples of voltage and current are 6-12V and 1 to 20 amperes per square decimeter.
  • the electroformed material is removed from the master, as by subjection to a temperature change such as chilling to cause a loosening of the bond between master and electroformed material leaving a nickel member 31, as shown in Fig. 4, having a plurality of accurately formed slotted end termination members 32, 32 thereon which may be removed as by sawing, and then subsequently cleaned, polished and ground to the desired dimensions.
  • a temperature change such as chilling to cause a loosening of the bond between master and electroformed material leaving a nickel member 31, as shown in Fig. 4, having a plurality of accurately formed slotted end termination members 32, 32 thereon which may be removed as by sawing, and then subsequently cleaned, polished and ground to the desired dimensions.
  • the slots 30, 30 in member 32 are best seen in FIG. 5.
  • FIG. 5 there is shown a partial view of a
  • OMPI connector or end termination 33 comprising a block 34 of material such as nickel having a recess 36 machined therein to receive slotted member 32, which holds fibers 12, 12 in accurate spaced relationship to each other.
  • One or more spring clips 37 hold the assembly together.
  • the end face be ground flat so as to abut evenly with the flat end face of the end termination of the fibers which will be spliced to the first fiber array.
  • One of the shortcomings of the end termination depicted in FIG. 5 is the fact that cement must be used to hold fibers 12 securely in place and prevent them from being pulled out.
  • FIGS. 6 through 10 are shown the steps involved in making an end termination that requires no cement, thus eliminating a time consuming step in the making of an end termination.
  • the prepared fiber tape 11 of FIG. 1A has silver-plated thereon an approximately two micron layer 38 of roughly the dimensions of an end termination.
  • the tape thus prepared is laid into a recess 39 of a block 41 , preferably of stainless steel, where the fibers 12, 12 are maintained in accurately spaced relationship by spacers 42 and 43, also of, for example, stainless steel, which are held in place by spring clips 44 and 46, as best seen in FIGS. 7 and 7A.
  • spacers 42 and 43 also of, for example, stainless steel, which are held in place by spring clips 44 and 46, as best seen in FIGS. 7 and 7A.
  • FIG. 7 an area of the plated region 38, of a size sufficient to insure coverage of all of the fibers during the electroforming step, is left.
  • the region 38 has electroformed thereon a member 47 of nickel, for example, of the desired dimensions, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 9A.
  • the electroformed member 47 may be left as it appears in FIG. 9A, with the shoulder 48, naturally formed during the electroforming operation, retained for strength.
  • the member 47 is subsequently removed from the member 41, the fibers 12 extending beyond the member 47 trimmed, and the faces of the member 47 polished, producing the basic end termination 51 shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 10A.
  • the member 51 shown in cross section in FIG.
  • 10A has the fibers 12, 12 properly spaced, with their center lines in a single plane, and held firmly in place relative to each other by the electroformed member 51 and, more particularly, by the portions 45 filling the spaces between the fibers and substantially surrounding them.
  • the surface 52 of member 51 may serve as a suitable reference surface for abutting a second member 51 to produce a splice.
  • surfaces 53 and 54 serve to locate the member 51 laterally. Referring to FIG.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Coupling Of Light Guides (AREA)

Abstract

Procédé de production d'un connecteur d'extrémité ou d'un organe de jointure (32) pour réseaux de fibres optiques (12), consistant à préparer une matrice métallique (16) de l'organe et à former par galvanoplastie sur la matrice l'organe (32) avec la précision requise, cet organe étant ensuite séparé de la matrice et les fibres étant insérées et fixées en place. Dans un mode de réalisation (fig. 9), le connecteur (47) est formé par galvanoplastie directement sur le réseau de fibres écartées. L'invention comprend les connecteurs produits par les procédés ci-décrits.
PCT/US1984/001560 1983-10-27 1984-09-28 Connexions de fibres optiques WO1985002025A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
KR1019850700099A KR850700159A (ko) 1983-10-27 1984-09-28 광파이버 코넥터
JP1985600007U JPS61500002U (fr) 1983-10-27 1984-09-28

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US54621383A 1983-10-27 1983-10-27
US546,213 1983-10-27

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1985002025A1 true WO1985002025A1 (fr) 1985-05-09

Family

ID=24179364

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1984/001560 WO1985002025A1 (fr) 1983-10-27 1984-09-28 Connexions de fibres optiques

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0160663A1 (fr)
JP (1) JPS61500002U (fr)
KR (1) KR850700159A (fr)
IT (1) IT1177067B (fr)
WO (1) WO1985002025A1 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1987005119A1 (fr) * 1986-02-21 1987-08-27 American Telephone & Telegraph Company Connecteur a reseau pour fibres optiques
US4778243A (en) * 1986-12-08 1988-10-18 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Connector element for a light waveguide
US4983012A (en) * 1989-06-23 1991-01-08 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Optical fiber connector
US5134673A (en) * 1991-05-10 1992-07-28 At&T Bell Laboratories Optical fiber array splicing device

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS53119059A (en) * 1977-03-28 1978-10-18 Furukawa Electric Co Ltd:The Connecting method for optical fiber
JPS54160249A (en) * 1978-06-09 1979-12-18 Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> Multicore connector for optical fibers
JPS57204015A (en) * 1981-06-10 1982-12-14 Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> Manufacture of core mold of multicore optical connector
JPS57205704A (en) * 1981-06-15 1982-12-16 Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> Production of die for molding multicored connector for optical fiber

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS53119059A (en) * 1977-03-28 1978-10-18 Furukawa Electric Co Ltd:The Connecting method for optical fiber
JPS54160249A (en) * 1978-06-09 1979-12-18 Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> Multicore connector for optical fibers
JPS57204015A (en) * 1981-06-10 1982-12-14 Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> Manufacture of core mold of multicore optical connector
JPS57205704A (en) * 1981-06-15 1982-12-16 Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> Production of die for molding multicored connector for optical fiber

Non-Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, Vol. 2, No. 150, 15 December 1978, page 9651E78 & JP, A, 53119059 (Furukawa Denki Kogyo K.K.) 18 October 1978 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, Vol. 4, No. 21, 21 February 1980, page 172 & JP, A, 54160249 (Nippon Denshin Denwa Kosha) 18 December 1979 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, Vol. 7, No. 57, 9 March 1983, page 181 & JP, A, 57204015 (Nippon Denshin Denwa Kosha) 14 December 1982 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, Vol. 7, No. 60, 12 March 1983, page 182 & JP, A, 57205704 (Nippon Denshin Denwa Kosha) 16 December 1982 *

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1987005119A1 (fr) * 1986-02-21 1987-08-27 American Telephone & Telegraph Company Connecteur a reseau pour fibres optiques
US4778243A (en) * 1986-12-08 1988-10-18 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Connector element for a light waveguide
US4983012A (en) * 1989-06-23 1991-01-08 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Optical fiber connector
US5134673A (en) * 1991-05-10 1992-07-28 At&T Bell Laboratories Optical fiber array splicing device
EP0512815A2 (fr) * 1991-05-10 1992-11-11 AT&T Corp. Dispositif de soudage de matrices de fibres optiques
AU632435B2 (en) * 1991-05-10 1992-12-24 American Telephone And Telegraph Company Optical fiber array splicing device
EP0512815A3 (en) * 1991-05-10 1993-04-14 American Telephone And Telegraph Company Optical fiber array splicing device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT1177067B (it) 1987-08-26
EP0160663A1 (fr) 1985-11-13
IT8423352A0 (it) 1984-10-26
JPS61500002U (fr) 1986-02-06
KR850700159A (ko) 1985-10-25

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