Method of matching optical elements and fiber ferrules

A method of fabricating a multiple-port optical device comprising the steps of:

• providing an optical element holder comprising a cavity for mounting to a collimating assembly, said cavity having sufficiently large dimensions to permit microtilting of said holder relative to said collimating assembly;
• mounting an optical element to said optical element holder, said optical element characterized according to a desired AOI;
• selecting an input collimating assembly comprising a plurality of pairs of optical fibers optically coupled with a collimating element, said assembly characterized as a function of the separation distance of said pairs of optical fibers, and wherein said collimating assembly is selected as a function of said AOI of said optical element;
• optically aligning said optical element and said input collimating assembly to satisfy a predetermined maximum insertion loss;
• and
• securing said optical element relative to said input collimating assembly to preserve the optical alignment.

A multiple-port, temperature compensated, optical filtering package comprising:

• an optical filter characterized according to desired AOI;
• an input collimator assembly comprising,
• a ferrule assembly comprising at least one capillary enclosing at least two pairs of optical fibers, said ferrule assembly characterized as a function of separation distances of said pairs of optical fibers, said ferrule having a SD characteristic corresponding to said AOI, said ferrule having an input end and an output end;
• and
• a collimating lens having an input end and an output end, said input end positioned to receive light signals from said ferrule and said output end of said lens communicating light signals to said filter;
• and
• a filter-holder supporting said optical filter and comprising a cavity for receiving said output end of said collimating lens, the size of said cavity sufficient to permit microtilting of said filter-holder relative to said collimating lens.