Laser-Shaped Optical Fibers Along with Optical Assemblies and Methods Therefor

A method of cutting an optical fiber and shaping its end, comprising:

• rotating the optical fiber;
• sweeping a beam of a laser across the rotating optical fiber;
• and
• essentially stopping the rotation of the optical fiber and sweeping the beam of the laser through the optical fiber, thereby cutting an end face of the optical fiber at a predetermined angle which is less than 90 degrees from a longitudinal axis of the optical fiber so that the end face of the optical fiber has a tapered and angled end face.

A method of fabricating a field-installable connector used in a mechanical splicing application, comprising:

• rotating a stub optical fiber secured within a ferrule of the field-installable connector;
• sweeping a beam of a laser across the rotating stub optical fiber;
• and
• essentially stopping the rotation of the optical fiber and sweeping the beam of the laser through the optical fiber, thereby cutting an end face of the optical fiber at a predetermined angle less than 90 degrees from a longitudinal axis of the optical fiber so that the end face of the optical fiber has a tapered and angled end face.

A method of cutting an optical fiber and shaping its end, comprising:

• rotating the optical fiber;
• sweeping a beam of a laser across the rotating optical fiber at a first location;
• shifting the beam of the laser or shifting the optical fiber so that the sweeping of the beam of the laser occurs at a second location;
• and
• sweeping the beam of the laser through the optical fiber at a second location.