Method For Orienting And Terminating Polarization-Maintaining (PM) Optical Fiber And Forming A PM Optical Fiber Assembly

An apparatus for manufacturing a polarization-maintaining optical fiber assembly, the optical fiber assembly comprising a receptacle and at least one polarization-maintaining optical fiber having a core, a cladding surrounding the core, and birefringent elements embedded within the cladding, the optical fiber having an initial fiber diameter and extending between a first end and a second end, the apparatus comprising:

• a high-energy source configured to radiate a portion of the first end of the optical fiber extending a distance beyond a front face of the receptacle to expand a diameter of the optical fiber and form an expanded portion on the optical fiber;
• a polarization extinction ratio meter configured to measure a polarization extinction ratio of light transmitted through the optical fiber;
• a rotation stage configured to support and rotate the optical fiber about a longitudinal axis of the optical fiber to adjust an angular orientation of the birefringent elements;
• a controller operatively coupled to the rotation stage and the polarization extinction ratio meter, the controller being configured to receive polarization extinction ratio measurements corresponding to the angular orientation of the birefringent elements of the optical fiber and control rotation of the optical fiber using the rotation stage in response to the polarization extinction ratio measurements to achieve a desired orientation of the birefringent elements;
• and
• a translation stage configured to retract the optical fiber along the longitudinal axis relative to the receptacle to cause the expanded tip to interfere with and engage with a bore of the receptacle for holding the optical fiber with the desired orientation of the birefringent elements.

An apparatus for forming a polarization-maintaining optical fiber assembly comprising a receptacle and a polarization-maintaining optical fiber, the apparatus comprising:

• a radiation source configured to expand a portion of the optical fiber that extends past a front face of the receptacle;
• a polarization extinction ratio meter configured to generate polarization feedback based on light transmitted through the optical fiber;
• a rotation stage configured to rotate the optical fiber to control an orientation of birefringent elements of the optical fiber;
• a translation stage configured to retract the optical fiber along the longitudinal axis relative to the receptacle;
• wherein the apparatus is configured to rotate the optical fiber with the rotation stage based on the polarization feedback and to retract the optical fiber with the translation stage such that the expanded portion engages with a bore of the receptacle and retains the optical fiber in a desired polarization orientation.