Lens, lens and optical fiber assembly, and optical communication system

A lens comprising:

• a lens body including at least one lens portion and at least one holding hole for holding at least one optical fiber;
• and
• a support, wherein
• the or each lens portion is provided in the lens body so as to be positioned on one side in a first direction relative to the or a corresponding holding hole,
• the or each holding hole is provided in the lens body, is a blind hole of cylindrical shape extending in the first direction and opening out to the other side in the first direction, and includes a bottom face on the one side in the first direction and a peripheral face of tubular shape with a circular section extending from the bottom face to the other side in the first direction,
• a central axis of the or each holding hole is positioned on a phantom line extending in the first direction through an optical axis of the or a corresponding lens portion,
• the or each holding hole has a cross-sectional diameter along second and third directions that is substantially equal to a cross-sectional outer diameter along the second and third directions of a first portion of the or a corresponding optical fiber, wherein the first portion is a distal portion on the one side in the first direction of the or each optical fiber, the first direction is an axial direction of the central axis of the at least one holding hole, the second direction is substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and the third direction is substantially orthogonal to the first and second directions, the support includes a support body fixed to the lens body, positioned on the other side in the first direction relative to the lens body, and positioned at least partly on one side in the second direction relative to the at least one holding hole of the lens body, and
• with the first portion of the or each optical fiber securely received in the or a corresponding holding hole, the bottom face of the or each holding hole abuts an end face on the one side in the first direction of the first portion of the or a corresponding optical fiber, the peripheral face of the or each holding hole partly abuts an outer peripheral face of the first portion of the or a corresponding optical fiber, and the support body supports a second portion of the or each optical fiber from the one side in the second direction, the second portion being positioned on the other side in the first direction relative to the first portion of the or a corresponding optical fiber.