Optical communications module, optical fiber, and optical coupling structure of optical fiber and optical communications module

An optical communications module for carrying bidirectional optical communications using a single-conductor optical fiber as a transmission medium, comprising:

• a light emitting element, which generates outgoing light;
• a sending optical system, which couples the outgoing light with the single-conductor optical fiber;
• a light receiving element, which receives incoming light that emerges from the single-conductor optical fiber;
• and
• a receiving optical system, which couples the incoming light with the light receiving element,
• wherein the light emitting element and the sending optical system are disposed so that an enlarged portion of the single-conductor optical fiber, which is an enlarged portion of a light-carrying core section of the single-conductor optical fiber in at least one of end portions of the single-conductor optical fiber, at least partially constitutes an area of the end portion coupled with the outgoing light.

An optical fiber as a transmission medium for carrying out optical communications, comprising:

• a light-carrying core section;
• an enlarged portion, which is an enlarged portion of a light-carrying core section of the optical fiber in at least one of end portions of the optical fiber;
• and
• a tapered portion, which extends from the enlarged portion of the end portion, tapering toward an optical axis of the optical fiber,
• the tapered portion being provided so that an angle created by the optical axis of the optical fiber and the tapered portion is greater than an angle defined by a numerical aperture of the optical fiber.

An optical fiber as a transmission medium for carrying out optical communications, comprising:

• a light-carrying core section;
• and
• an enlarged portion, which is an enlarged portion of a light-carrying core section of the optical fiber in at least one of end portions of the optical fiber,
• the end portion with the enlarged portion being a concave portion.

An optically coupled structure, comprising:

• a single-conductor optical fiber;
• and
• an optical communications module for carrying out bidirectional optical communications with the single-conductor optical fiber as a transmission medium,
• the single-conductor optical fiber including a light-carrying core section and an enlarged portion, the enlarged portion being an enlarged portion of a light-carrying core section of the single-conductor optical fiber in at least one of end portions of the single-conductor optical fiber,
• the optical communications module including a light emitting element, which generates outgoing light, a sending optical system, which couples the outgoing light with the single-conductor optical fiber, a light receiving element, which receives incoming light that emerges from the single-conductor optical fiber, and a receiving optical system, which couples the incoming light with the light receiving element,
• the light receiving element and the receiving optical system being disposed so as to receive incoming light that emerges from the end portion of the single-conductor optical fiber having the enlarged portion.

An optically coupled structure, comprising:

• a single-conductor optical fiber;
• and
• an optical communications module for carrying out bidirectional optical communications with the single-conductor optical fiber as a transmission medium,
• the single-conductor optical fiber including a light-carrying core section and an enlarged portion, the enlarged portion being an. enlarged portion of a light-carrying core section of the single-conductor optical fiber in at least one of end portions of the single-conductor optical fiber,
• the optical communications module having a light emitting element, which generates outgoing light, a sending optical system, which couples the outgoing light with the end portion of the single-conductor optical fiber, a light receiving element, which receives incoming light that emerges from the single-conductor optical fiber, and a receiving optical system, which couples the incoming light with the light receiving element,
• the light emitting element and the sending optical system being provided so that the enlarged portion at least partially constitutes an area of the end portion of the single-conductor optical fiber coupled with the outgoing light.