Microfabrication method for optical components

A high-density, recessed-fiber, multi-fiber optical connector component made by a microfabrication method, comprising:

• a non-polymeric optical connector ferrule having a front surface, the optical connector ferrule made from a ferrule mold having a reverse-image through-hole array for optical fibers, said through-hole array including at least two through-holes, each through-hole dimensioned and configured for holding and aligning a single optical fiber;
• an optical fiber with a fiber endface, positioned in each of said fiber through-holes;
• an antireflection coating deposited over said the optical fiber endfaces;
• a fiber recess formed for each of the optical fibers by 1) differential polishing of said non-polymeric ferrule front surface and the endface of the optical fibers, or 2) depositing a layer of spacer material over a portion of the non-polymeric ferrule front surface;
• wherein a contact surface of the optical connector is separated from the antireflection coating on the fiber endfaces by a distance of at least 0.1 micron;
• wherein said through-holes are formed at a through-hole tilt angle with respect to the surface normal of said front surface of said non-polymeric optical connector ferrule;
• and wherein the ferrule front surface has a front surface tilt angle with respect to a direction of connection of the multi-fiber optical connector component such that adjacent optical fiber endfaces are positioned at different elevations relative to each other with respect to the direction of connection.