Method for manufacturing optical connection component

A method for manufacturing an optical connection component including a bent optical fiber having a bent-shape part and a fiber fixing component attached to the bent optical fiber, the method comprising:

• a pre-step of preparing an optical fiber comprised of silica-based glass and the fiber fixing component, the fiber fixing component having a structure for limiting movement of the optical fiber in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber;
• a fitting step of fitting the fiber fixing component on one end part of the optical fiber in a state movable in the longitudinal direction, fixing the fiber fixing component to a rotating component rotatable about a predetermined rotary shaft, and fixing the other end part of the optical fiber to a fiber feeding mechanism,
• a bent optical fiber manufacturing step of, to form the bent-shape part in the optical fiber, forming a plurality of bent portions in the optical fiber, the plurality of bent portions being separated from each other along the longitudinal direction;
• a step of adjusting, after the bent optical fiber manufacturing step, relative positions of the bent-shape part and the fiber fixing component while fitting the fiber fixing component on the one end part of the bent optical fiber;
• and
• a fixing step of fixing, after the adjusting, the fiber fixing component to the bent optical fiber,
• wherein the bent optical fiber manufacturing step includes:
• an elastic bending step of, to form a bent portion in the optical fiber, inclining a posture of the fiber fixing component by a predetermined angle with respect to a feeding direction of the optical fiber while feeding the optical fiber toward the fiber fixing component by the fiber feeding mechanism;
• and
• a heating step of heating and softening the bent portion to release stress in the bent portion, and
• wherein a pair of the elastic bending step and the heating step is repeated a plurality of times to form the plurality of bent portions separated from each other along the longitudinal direction in the optical fiber, while changing an inclination angle of the fiber fixing component with respect to the feeding direction of the optical fiber in the elastic bending step so that the inclination angle becomes greater stepwise every time the elastic bending step is performed.