Fiber holders and associated methods for maintaining relative orientiation of fibers therein

A fiber holder for maintaining relative orientation of at least two optical fibers, wherein the at least two optical fibers are multi-core fibers, the fiber holder comprising:

• a first surface and a second surface;
• at least two alignment holes that are configured to receive at least two stripped optical fiber sections of the at least two fibers, wherein the at least two alignment holes extend from the first surface to the second surface, wherein the at least two alignment holes includes a first alignment hole configured to receive a stripped optical fiber section of a first optical fiber of the at least two optical fibers and an adjacent alignment hole configured to receive a stripped optical fiber section of an adjacent optical fiber of the at least two optical fibers, wherein the adjacent optical fiber is adjacent to the first optical fiber;
• and
• a wall, wherein the wall separates the first alignment hole and the adjacent alignment hole, wherein the wall is configured to permit rotation of the stripped optical fiber section of the adjacent optical fiber in the adjacent alignment hole without causing rotation of the stripped optical fiber section of the first optical fiber in the first alignment hole, wherein the wall defines a width of 20 to 125 microns,
• wherein the first alignment hole and the second alignment hole are each formed by laser drilling from the first surface towards the second surface and also by laser drilling from the second surface towards the first surface.

A fiber holder produced by a process of:

• providing a substrate having a first side and a second side;
• laser drilling a first alignment hole from the first side of the substrate towards the second side of the substrate;
• and
• laser drilling an adjacent second alignment hole adjacent to the first alignment hole, wherein a wall is maintained between the first alignment hole and the adjacent second alignment hole, wherein the wall defines a width of 20 to 125 microns,
• wherein the first alignment hole and the adjacent second alignment hole are configured to receive at least two stripped optical fiber sections of at least two fibers, wherein the at least two optical fibers are multi-core fibers, wherein the first alignment hole and the adjacent second alignment hole extend from the first surface to the second surface,
• wherein the wall separates the first alignment hole and the adjacent second alignment hole, wherein the wall is configured to permit rotation of the stripped optical fiber section of one of the at least two fibers in the first alignment hole without causing rotation of the stripped optical fiber section of an adjacently positioned another of the at least two fibers in the adjacent second alignment hole.