A Component Technology for Single-Mode Optical Networks

Abstract

We report a single-mode micro-optic technology which has proved to be an indispensible foundation for single-mode optical network components. The starting point for a generic micro-optic approach has been single-mode connector fabrication technology. In this, a single-mode fibre is mounted in a ferrule and the outer diameter machined concentric with the fibre core1. Shape Memory Effect (SME) metal2 sleeves are used to automatically and rigidly align the axes of two fibre cores. An hermetically sealed, ruggedized connector, with losses of around 0.5 dB, results3. Machined ferrules containing plano-convex micro-lenses may be introduced into common SME sleeves to provide collimated beams from the fibres. Total insertion losses as low as 1.4 dB have been achieved, with improvements to 0.8 dB likely. Single-mode collimated beam devices, such as in-line filters, polarizers, modulators etc, can be demonstrated (Fig 1).