Optical power distributor and method for manufacturing the same

A method for manufacturing optical power distributors comprising steps of:

• preparing a first section consisting of at least two optical fibers each of which has a core and a cladding and which are thermally fused together at one end portion, said one end portion being tapered, and consisting of at least two cores having a relatively elongated sectional profile and a united cladding covering the cores;
• preparing a second section consisting of at least three optical fibers, each of which has a core and a cladding and which are thermally fused together at one end portion, said one end portion being tapered and consisting of at least three cores having a relatively elongated sectional profile and a cladding covering the cores, wherein said optical fibers of said first and second sections are arranged colinearly during said fusing step;
• and
• thermally fusing and splicing the tapered portions of said first and second sections, with the end faces thereof butted on each other, in such a manner that the cores of said first section each overlap all cores of said second section.

A method for manufacturing optical power distributors comprising steps of:

• arranging at least three optical fibers having cores and cladding in side by side relationship and parallel in contact;
• heating the optical fibers at a portion intermediate the fiber ends and pulling the optical fibers at both ends, thus forming a biconical taper waist;
• cleaving the optical fibers at the waist into a first section and a second section;
• aligning the axes of the first and second sections, rotating one of the first and second sections by a predetermined angle and butting the first and second sections on each other;
• and
• heating the butting ends of the first and second sections so as to thermally fuse the first and second sections together.