Methods of optical fiber reshaping for direct locking optical fibers and correcting core-to-ferrule eccentricity errors
AssigneeCorning Research & Development Corporation
InventorsRobert Bruce Elkins, II, Ming-Jun Li, Ying Liu, Lei Yuan
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to laser treatment of an optical fiber to secure the optical fiber within a ferrule bore. In particular, the laser treatment modifies the physical structure of the optical fiber to aid in securing the optical fiber within the ferrule bore and to correct core-to-ferrule eccentricity errors.
Claims29
A ferrule assembly comprising:
- a ferrule having a front end, a rear end, and a ferrule bore extending between the front end and the rear end, wherein at least a portion of the ferrule bore comprises a micro-bore, and
- an optical fiber inserted into the micro-bore to define an annular gap between an outer surface of the optical fiber and an inner surface of the micro-bore, the optical fiber comprising at least one protrusion extending from the outer surface of the optical fiber;
- wherein the at least one protrusion extends through the annular gap and contacts the inner surface of the micro-bore.
A method of terminating an optical fiber with a ferrule, wherein the ferrule having a front end, a rear end, and a ferrule bore extending between the front end and the rear end, wherein at least a portion of the ferrule bore defines a micro-bore, the method comprising:
- inserting the optical fiber into the micro-bore;
- and
- applying a laser treatment onto the optical fiber to create at least one protrusion along an outer surface of the optical fiber, wherein the at least one protrusion contacts an inner surface of the micro-bore.
A method of terminating an optical fiber having an inner core with a ferrule having a micro-bore and an end face with a mating location, the method comprising:
- determining a bore bearing angle of a bore offset of the micro-bore in the ferrule at the end face relative to a reference axis of the ferrule;
- determining a core bearing angle of a core offset of the inner core in the optical fiber at an end of the optical fiber relative to a reference axis of the optical fiber;
- orienting the ferrule and the optical fiber relative to each other so that the reference axis of the ferrule and the reference axis of the optical fiber are substantially aligned and so that the bore bearing angle and the core bearing angle are arranged about 180 degrees apart;
- heating the ferrule at a processing temperature above room temperature;
- inserting the optical fiber into the micro-bore of the ferrule when the ferrule is at the processing temperature, wherein a distance exists between a center of the inner core of the optical fiber and the mating location of the ferrule;
- applying a laser treatment onto the optical fiber to reduce the distance between the inner core of the optical fiber and the mating location of the ferrule, wherein the optical fiber is altered by the laser treatment;
- and
- coupling the optical fiber to the micro-bore of the ferrule.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.