Optical fiber arrays

An optical fiber array comprising:

• at least one subunit including at least one optical fiber therein surrounded by a respective subunit matrix;
• a common matrix disposed adjacent to the at least one subunit;
• and
• an adhesion zone, said adhesion zone being disposed between the common and subunit matrices and is robust enough to inhibit inadvertent separation of the subunit but is weak enough to avoid breakage of the subunit matrix during subunit separation.

An optical fiber array comprising:

• at least one subunit including at least one optical fiber therein surrounded by a respective subunit matrix having a subunit matrix modulus characteristic;
• a common matrix disposed adjacent to the at least one subunit having a common matrix modulus characteristic;
• a subunit/common matrix modulus ratio being defined as a ratio of the subunit matrix modulus characteristic with respect to the common matrix modulus characteristic;
• the subunit/common matrix modulus ratio being greater than about 1.5:1;
• and
• an adhesion zone defining a controlled adhesion bond between the common and subunit matrices.

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber array comprising the steps of:

• (a) supplying at least one subunit including at least one optical fiber therein surrounded by a respective subunit matrix;
• (b) creating a common matrix adjacent to the at least one subunit and curing the common matrix so that a common matrix modulus of the common matrix is less than a subunit matrix modulus of the subunit matrix;
• and
• (c) prior to and during formation of the common matrix, defining an adhesion zone between the common and subunit matrices that is robust enough to inhibit inadvertent separation of the subunit but is weak enough to minimize breakage of the subunit matrix during subunit separation.