Non-contact optical fiber connector component

An optical fiber connection apparatus comprising:

• first and second fiber ferrules each having an axial hole and a polished end surface;
• each said polished end surface in contact with the other;
• first and second optical fibers, each fiber seated in said axial hole in a respective ferrule, each fiber terminating in a output facet proximate to the polished end surface of the respective ferrule;
• an anti-reflection coating on at least one of the facets;
• and
• an alignment structure holding the end surfaces of the ferrules in contact in a manner whereby the facets of the first and second fibers are spaced apart in optical communication with each other without intervening optics.

A method of joining optical fibers:

• preparing a first optical fiber to be coaxially within a first ferrule, the first fiber having anti-reflective coating on polished end surface;
• preparing a second optical fiber to be coaxially within a second ferrule;
• and
• bringing the first and second ferrule polished end surfaces into contact in an adapter wherein the first and second optical fibers have facets that are spaced apart from each other when ferrule end surfaces are in contact.

A multi-fiber optical fiber connector comprising:

• a ferrule block having a front surface with at least two apertures for receiving two guide pins from a second multi-fiber object, said ferrule block having a plurality of fiber alignment holes;
• a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber situated in respective said fiber alignment hole and terminates to a fiber facet proximate to said ferrule front surface;
• and
• an anti-reflection coating on said fiber facets;