Method for orienting and terminating polarization-maintaining (PM) optical fiber and forming a PM optical fiber assembly

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber assembly having one or more polarization-maintaining optical fibers, each optical fiber having a core, a cladding surrounding the core, and a plurality of birefringent elements disposed within the cladding, and each optical fiber having an initial fiber diameter and extending between a first end and a second end, said method comprising the steps of:

• inserting each of the first ends of the optical fibers through respective bores of a receptacle, the bores having a bore diameter larger than the initial fiber diameter;
• extending the first ends of the optical fiber a distance beyond a front face of the receptacle;
• simultaneously radiating a portion of the first ends of each the optical fibers that extend from the front face with a high energy source to expand the portion and form an expanded tip having an expanded diameter larger than the bore diameter of the bores;
• rotating one of the optical fibers to achieve a desired orientation of the birefringent elements;
• retracting the one of the optical fibers that has been rotated towards the front face to cause the expanded tip to interfere with and engage the respective bore for holding the optical fiber in the desired orientation;
• continuing to rotate and retract the remaining optical fibers one at a time until all of the optical fibers have the desired orientation and are held in the respective bore;
• ribbonizing at least a portion of the optical fibers that extends between the first end and the second end.

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber assembly having one or more polarization-maintaining optical fibers, each optical fiber having a core, a cladding surrounding the core, and a plurality of birefringent elements disposed within the cladding, and each optical fiber having an initial fiber diameter and extending between a first end and a second end, said method comprising the steps of:

• inserting each of the first ends of the optical fibers through respective bores of a receptacle, the bores having a bore diameter larger than the initial fiber diameter;
• extending the first ends of the optical fiber a distance beyond a front face of the receptacle;
• simultaneously radiating a portion of the first ends of each the optical fibers that extend from the front face with a high energy source to expand the portion and form an expanded tip having an expanded diameter larger than the bore diameter of the bores;
• rotating one of the optical fibers to achieve a desired orientation of the birefringent elements;
• retracting the one of the optical fibers that has been rotated towards the front face to cause the expanded tip to interfere with and engage the respective bore for holding the optical fiber in the desired orientation;
• continuing to rotate and retract the remaining optical fibers one at a time until all of the optical fibers have the desired orientation and are held in the respective bore;
• terminating the second ends of the optical fibers in a second connector such that end-to-end polarization across the plurality of optical fibers is preserved;
• and
• removing the receptable from the first end and connectorizing each of first ends of the optical fiber.