# US 12,181,716 B2 · Multicore optical fiber connector adapters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,716 B2 - Document ID: US12181716B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/974,706 - Filed: 2022-10-27 - Published: 2024-02-22 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2022-08-17 - Assignees: Corning Research & Development Corporation - Applicants: Corning Research & Development Corporation - Inventors: Ming-Jun Li; Qi Wu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181716B2 ## CPC - G02B 6/02042: {Multicore optical fibres} - G02B 6/3825: {with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs} - G02B 6/3846: {with fibre stubs} - G02B 6/3885: {Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type (optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract In one embodiment, a multicore optical fiber connector adapter includes at least one multicore optical fiber stub that includes a plurality of optical cores, each optical core having an inner core and an outer core, a fiber coupling section having a first diameter, wherein the cores have a first pitch at the fiber coupling section, a multicore fiber coupling section having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter, wherein the cores have a second pitch at the multicore fiber coupling section that is less than the first pitch, and a taper section between the fiber coupling section and the multicore fiber coupling section. The multicore optical fiber connector adapter further includes at least one multicore ferrule comprising a passageway, a multicore connector, a plurality of optical fibers, and a multi-fiber ferrule. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A multicore optical fiber connector adapter comprising: at least one multicore optical fiber stub comprising: a plurality of optical cores, each optical core having an inner core and an outer core; a fiber coupling section having a first diameter, wherein the plurality of optical cores has a first pitch at the fiber coupling section; a multicore fiber coupling section having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter, wherein the plurality of optical cores has a second pitch at the multicore fiber coupling section that is less than the first pitch; and a taper section between the fiber coupling section and the multicore fiber coupling section; at least one multicore ferrule comprising a passageway, wherein at least a portion of the multicore fiber coupling section is disposed within the passageway; a multicore connector, wherein the at least one multicore ferrule is disposed within the multicore connector; a plurality of optical fibers, wherein a first end of the plurality of optical fibers is optically coupled to the plurality of optical cores at the fiber coupling section; and a multi-fiber ferrule, wherein a second end of the plurality of optical fibers is disposed within the multi-fiber ferrule. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers is a plurality of single-core optical fibers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 2, wherein each single-core optical fiber of the plurality of single-core optical fibers comprises: an inner core; an outer cladding; and a titanium doped stress layer in the outer cladding, wherein the outer cladding of each single-core optical fiber is in contact with the outer claddings of adjacent single core optical fibers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 1, wherein the second ends of the plurality of optical fibers are arranged in an array at a face of the multi-fiber ferrule. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 1, wherein the first end of the plurality of optical fibers is optically coupled to the plurality of optical cores at the fiber coupling section by a fusion splice. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 1, wherein: the at least one multicore ferrule comprises a first multicore ferrule and a second multicore ferrule; the at least one multicore optical fiber stub comprises a first multicore optical fiber stub and a second multicore optical fiber stub; the multicore fiber coupling section of the first multicore optical fiber stub is disposed in the first multicore ferrule and the multicore fiber coupling section of the second multicore optical fiber stub is disposed in the second multicore ferrule; the plurality of optical fibers comprises a first set of optical fibers and a second set of optical fibers; and the first end of the first set of optical fibers is optically coupled to the plurality of optical cores at the fiber coupling section of the first multicore optical fiber stub and the first end of the second set of optical fibers is optically coupled to the plurality of optical cores at the fiber coupling section of the second multicore optical fiber stub. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 6, wherein the multicore connector is a duplex connector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 1, further comprising a ferrule holder, wherein the at least one multicore ferrule is disposed within the ferrule holder and the ferrule holder comprises an extended portion such that at least a portion of the taper section and the fiber coupling section are disposed in a passageway of the extended portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 1, further comprising an adapter housing having a first end and a second end, and a multi-fiber connector body, wherein: the first end of the adapter housing is coupled to the multicore connector; and the second end of the adapter housing is coupled to the multi-fiber connector body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers is disposed within an optical cable jacket. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 1, wherein: each core at the fiber coupling section has a first index profile with three regions; and each core at the multicore fiber coupling section has a second index profile with three regions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 11, wherein: an inner core index region of the first index profile is shorter in length than an inner core index region of the second index profile; and an outer core index region of the second index profile is shorter in length than an outer core index region of the second index profile. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 11, wherein a diameter of the fiber coupling section is less than or equal to 400 μm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 11, wherein a length of the taper section is less than 10 mm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 11, wherein the taper section provides an adiabatic taper for the plurality of optical cores. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 11, wherein a mode field diameter of each core of the plurality of optical cores at the fiber coupling section is within 1 μm of a mode field diameter of each core of the plurality of optical cores at the multicore fiber coupling section. ### Claim 17 A multicore optical fiber connector adapter comprising: at least one multicore optical fiber stub comprising: a plurality of optical cores, each optical core having an inner core and an outer core; a fiber coupling section having a first diameter, wherein the plurality of optical cores has a first pitch at the fiber coupling section; a multicore fiber coupling section having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter, wherein the plurality of optical cores has a second pitch at the multicore fiber coupling section that is less than the first pitch; and a taper section between the fiber coupling section and the multicore fiber coupling section; at least one multicore ferrule comprising a first passageway, wherein at least a portion of the multicore fiber coupling section is disposed within the first passageway; at least one fiber coupling ferrule comprising a second passageway, wherein at least a portion of the fiber coupling section is disposed within the second passageway; a ferrule holder comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the at least one multicore ferrule is disposed in the ferrule holder at the first end and the at least one fiber coupling ferrule is disposed within the ferrule holder at the second end; and a connector body, wherein the at least one multicore ferrule, the at least one fiber coupling ferrule, and the ferrule holder are disposed within the connector body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 17, wherein: the at least one multicore ferrule comprises a first multicore ferrule and a second multicore ferrule; the at least one multicore optical fiber stub comprises a first multicore optical fiber stub and a second multicore optical fiber stub; the at least one fiber coupling ferrule comprise a first fiber coupling ferrule and a second fiber coupling ferrule; the multicore fiber coupling section of the first multicore optical fiber stub is disposed in the first multicore ferrule and the multicore fiber coupling section of the second multicore optical fiber stub is disposed in the second multicore ferrule; and the fiber coupling section of the first multicore optical fiber stub is disposed in the first fiber coupling ferrule and the fiber coupling section of the second multicore optical fiber stub is disposed in the second fiber coupling ferrule. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 18, wherein the connector body is configured as a duplex connector. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 17, wherein: each core at the fiber coupling section has a first index profile with three regions; and each core at the multicore fiber coupling section has a second index profile with three regions. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 20, wherein: an inner core index region of the first index profile is shorter in length than an inner core index region of the second index profile; and an outer core index region of the second index profile is shorter in length than an outer core index region of the second index profile. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 20, wherein a diameter of the fiber coupling section is less than or equal to 400 μm. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 20, wherein a length of the taper section is less than 10 mm. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 20, wherein the taper section provides an adiabatic taper for the plurality of optical cores. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The multicore optical fiber connector adapter of claim 20, wherein a mode field diameter of each core of the plurality of optical cores at the fiber coupling section is within 1 μm of a mode field diameter of each core of the plurality of optical cores at the multicore fiber coupling section.