Expanded beam connector system

A cable assembly for coupling an optical signal propagating in an optical fiber to a mating optical component, said optical signal having a first diameter while propagating in a mode field within said fiber, said cable assembly comprising:

• a fiber;
• a collimator fused to said fiber, said collimator converting said optical signal between said first diameter in said fiber and a second diameter, said second diameter being significantly greater than said first diameter, said collimator also having a first coupling surface for optically coupling with a second coupling surface of said mating component while said signal is at said second diameter;
• and
• a blind mating backplane connector containing said collimator.

A method of manufacturing a cable assembly, said method comprising:

• fusing a GRIN lens to an end of a fiber, said GRIN lens having essentially the same diameter as said fiber;
• inserting said fiber with said GRIN lens fused thereto into a ferrule borehole such that an end surface of said GRIN lens is substantially planar with an end face of said ferrule;
• and
• polishing said ferrule and said GRIN lens until the desired end face geometry and finish is achieved, wherein said GRIN lens is polished such that its length, from the end fiber to said ferrule surface is about ½ pitch+½n pitch, wherein n=0, 1, 2, 3 . . . 100 and said pitch is the median wavelength at which said cable assembly is intended to operate.