Pluggable optical connector with interfacial alignment features
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsWesley B. Morgan, Mohanraj Prabhugoud, David Shia, Eric J. M. Moret, Pooya Tadayon, Tarek A. Ibrahim
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Abstract
Optical connectors with alignment features, and methods of forming the same, are disclosed herein. In one example, an optical ferrule includes holes to couple a fiber array to the optical ferrule, a mating protrusion to mate with an optical receptacle, and alignment features to align the fiber array with optical waveguides in the optical receptacle. The optical receptacle includes the optical waveguides, a mating cavity to mate with the mating protrusion on the optical ferrule, and alignment features to mate with the alignment features on the optical ferrule.
Claims19
An apparatus, comprising:
- an optical ferrule, wherein the optical ferrule includes:
- a plurality of holes to couple a fiber array to the optical ferrule;
- a mating protrusion, wherein the plurality of holes extend through the mating protrusion;
- and
- a first set of alignment features;
- and
- an optical receptacle, wherein the optical receptacle includes:
- a plurality of optical waveguides;
- a mating cavity to mate with the mating protrusion on the optical ferrule, wherein the plurality of optical waveguides extend to the mating cavity;
- and
- a second set of alignment features to mate with the first set of alignment features on the optical ferrule, wherein the plurality of optical waveguides on the optical receptacle align with the plurality of holes on the optical ferrule when the first and second sets of alignment features mate.
An optical assembly, comprising:
- a first optical connector, wherein the first optical connector comprises:
- an optical ferrule, wherein the optical ferrule comprises a mating protrusion and a first set of alignment features on opposing sidewalls of the mating protrusion;
- and
- a plurality of optical fibers coupled to the optical ferrule;
- and
- a second optical connector, wherein the second optical connector comprises:
- a plurality of optical waveguides;
- a mating cavity to mate with the mating protrusion;
- and
- a second set of alignment features on opposing sidewalls of the mating cavity, wherein the second set of alignment features are to mate with the first set of alignment features;
- wherein the optical fibers and the optical waveguides are aligned when the first and second optical connectors are mated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.