Optical terminator

An optical fiber termination system having low reflectance, the system including:

• an optical cable terminated in a connector, the cable comprising an optical fiber which is surrounded by a protective sheath system and the connector including a cylindrical plug having an axial passageway that extends from one end face thereof to the other, said optical fiber residing in the axial passageway and terminating in one end face of the plug;
• an optical terminator comprising a generally cylindrical structure whose diameter is approximately equal to the diameter of the plug and whose refractive index is approximately equal to the refractive index of the optical fiber, said terminator having a longitudinal axis which extends from a distal end to a proximal end thereof, said proximal end being solid for a predetermined distance along the longitudinal axis and having an end face that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• coupling apparatus having a cylindrical slot through a wall thereof, said slot being sized to receive the plug in one end thereof and the optical terminator in the other end.

A plug termination for terminating an optical fiber disposed within a cylindrical ferrule, said plug terminator comprising:

• (a) a basically cylindrical plug whose diameter is approximately equal to the diameter of the cylindrical ferrule and whose refractive index is n=1.47.+-.0.01 at optical wavelengths of 1.3 .mu.m and 1.5 .mu.m, said plug having a longitudinal axis that extends from a distal end to a proximal end thereof, said proximal end being solid for a predetermined distance along the longitudinal axis and having an end face that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• (b) a base member holding an end portion of the plug;
• (c) a housing enclosing at least a portion of the base member and having an internally disposed surface that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the plug;
• and
• (d) a compression spring surrounding a portion of the base member, one end of the spring pressing against the base member and the other end of the spring pressing against the internally disposed surface, the compression spring urging the base member in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the plug toward its proximal end.

A receptacle termination for terminating an optical fiber disposed within a cylindrical ferrule, said cylindrical ferrule being held within an optical connector, the receptacle terminator comprising:

• (a) a generally cylindrical plug disposed within an alignment sleeve, said plug having a diameter which is approximately equal to the diameter of the cylindrical ferrule and having a refractive index n=1.47.+-.0.01 at optical wavelengths of 1.3 .mu.m and 1.5 .mu.m, said plug having a longitudinal axis that extends from a distal end to a proximal end thereof, the proximal end being solid for a predetermined distance along the longitudinal axis and having an end face that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• (b) the alignment sleeve being adapted to receive at least an end portion of the cylindrical ferrule and to support same in end-to-end contact with the plug;
• and
• (c) a housing for holding said alignment sleeve and comprising means for securing the optical connector to the housing such that the cylindrical ferrule and the plug are maintained in end-to-end contact.