Methods for centering optical fibers inside a connector ferrule and optical fiber connector

A method of centering at least one nano-engineered optical fiber within a connector ferrule having a front end and at least one bore with a central axis, wherein the at least one nano-engineered optical fiber has a core, a cladding with non- periodically disposed voids surrounding the core, the method comprising:

• inserting at least one bare-fiber portion of the at least one optical fiber into the at least one ferrule bore so that at least a section of the at least one bare-fiber portion extends beyond the ferrule front end;
• selectively heating the at least one bare-fiber section, thereby forming a locally deformable region and substantially collapsing the voids at least within the locally deformable region, thereby forming a substantially void-free region;
• and
• forming at least one bulge in the locally deformable region and force-fitting the at least one bulge with the at least one bore at the ferrule front end, thereby substantially centering the at least one optical fiber centerline along the at least one bore central axis.

A method of centering at least one optical fiber having a centerline in a connector ferrule having at least one bore with a central axis, wherein the at least one optical fiber comprises at least one nano-engineered optical fiber having voids formed therein, comprising:

• inserting at least one bare-fiber portion of the at least one optical fiber into the at least one connector ferrule bore so that a section of the at least one bare-fiber portion extends beyond a front end of the ferrule;
• locally heating a region of the at least one bare-fiber section thereby forming at least one locally deformable region;
• substantially collapsing the voids during said local heating so as to form at least one substantially void-free region at least within the at least one locally deformable region;
• forming a bulge in the at least one locally deformable region;
• force-fitting the bulge into the front end of the at least one ferrule bore so that the optical fiber centerline is substantially aligned with the bore central axis;
• and
• cleaving the at least one bare-fiber section, wherein cleaving the bare-fiber section is performed within the substantially void-free region, thereby forming at least one substantially void-free fiber end.