Circuit board(s) employing optical interfaces optically connected to surface-accessible, planar-shaped, inter-board optical fiber traces, and related connectors, assemblies, and methods

A method of preparing a circuit board assembly, comprising:

• providing a circuit board comprising at least one inter-board optical fiber trace;
• exposing at least one end portion of the at least one inter-board optical fiber trace through an end surface of the circuit board to provide at least one surface-accessible, planar-shaped end portion of the at least one inter-board optical fiber trace;
• mounting a ferrule comprising at least one optical interface to the circuit board;
• and
• optically connecting at least one end portion of the at least one optical interface accessible through a coupling face of the ferrule, to the at least one planar-shaped end portion of the at least one inter-board optical fiber trace of the circuit board.

An electro-optical connection assembly, comprising:

• an electronic device, comprising:
• a circuit board comprising at least one inter-board optical fiber trace having at least one first planar-shaped end portion accessible through an end surface of the circuit board, and at least one second planar-shaped end portion optically connected to at least one optical interface device optically interfaced to at least one electronic component disposed on the circuit board;
• a first fiber optic connector comprising a ferrule comprising at least one optical interface disposed in a ferrule, the at least one optical interface having at least one end portion accessible through a coupling face of the ferrule, the ferrule alignably mounted on the circuit board to optically connect the at least one end portion of the at least one optical interface, to the at least one first planar-shaped end portion of the at least one inter-board optical fiber trace of the circuit board;
• and
• a second fiber optic connector of a fiber optic cable mated to the first fiber optic connector of the electronic device to optically connect at least one optical fiber of the fiber optic cable to the at least one optical interface device.