Described herein are systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for reducing coupling loss between optical fibers, more particularly, to reducing coupling loss between a hollow-core optical fiber (HCF) and another fiber, such as solid core fibers (SCF), through the use of mismatched mode field diameter (MFD). According to one embodiment, an article is configured to reduce a coupling loss between multiple optical fibers, wherein the article includes an HCF supporting the propagation of a first mode and an SCF coupled to the HCF. According to a further embodiment, a method is described for reducing the coupling loss or splicing loss between optical fibers, such as an exemplary HCF and a solid core SMF. These exemplary methods may include coupling/splicing an exemplary HCF to an exemplary SMF with significantly smaller MFD.

An optical fiber splicing tray is disclosed. The optical fiber splicing tray may include: an optical fiber splicing tray body; and a marker detachably connected to the optical fiber splicing tray body, where the marker is arranged at a position facilitating observation and identification of the marker when a plurality of optical fiber splicing trays are stacked.

A method of optimizing the coupling to an optical fiber, including: generating a femtosecond laser pulse; directing a focus of the laser pulse to a longitudinal depth in the region beneath the endface of the optical fiber to generate microvoids; adjusting the intensity of the laser pulse at different depths, such that a refractive index profile is created in the region beneath the endface of the optical fiber.

A laser device includes: a laser unit that outputs laser light; an output end that launches the laser light; a first fusion splice portion; and a second fusion splice portion. In each of the first fusion splice portion and the second fusion splice portion, two multi-mode fibers are fusion-spliced. Each of the two multi-mode fibers include a core through which the laser light propagates and a cladding that surrounds the core. The first fusion splice portion is disposed closer to the laser unit than is the second fusion splice portion. At least a part of the core in the first fusion splice portion contains a dopant that is the same type as a dopant contained in the cladding in the first fusion splice portion for decreasing a refractive index.

An optical receptacle includes: a first optical fiber; a second optical fiber connected to the first optical fiber by fusion splice; a ferrule including a fiber hole that holds an end of the first optical fiber; and a housing portion that houses therein: the ferrule, the first optical fiber, and a first portion of the second optical fiber. A fusion splice portion between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber is disposed outside of the ferrule and within the housing portion.

This fusion splicing system includes a model creation device and a plurality of fusion splicers. The model creation device creates a determination model by performing machine learning using sample data indicating a correspondence relationship between feature amounts obtained from imaging data of optical fibers and types of the optical fibers. Each fusion splicer has an imaging unit, a determination unit, and a splicing unit. The imaging unit generates imaging data. The determination unit inputs feature amounts to the determination model and determines a type of each of the pair of optical fibers. The splicing unit fusion splices the pair of optical fibers on splicing conditions based on determination results. The model creation device creates the determination model by classifying the plurality of fusion splicers into two or more groups each estimated to have similar tendencies in the imaging data and collecting the sample data for each group.

Techniques for aligning each of a plurality of optical fibers for coupling to a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). Transmission is detected from each respective optical fiber to the PIC using a probe, and the respective optical fiber is aligned based on the detected transmission. Each of the plurality of optical fibers is coupled to the PIC using at least one of: (i) laser splicing, (ii) laser spot welding, or (iii) arc welding,

An optical connector including a first optical fiber having a first diameter and having a core that includes a thermally expanded core portion adjacent a first end of the first optical fiber, a second optical fiber spliced to a second end of the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber having a second diameter less than the first diameter, and a connector bore having a first bore portion configured to receive the first end of the first optical fiber.

Laser light splicing of optical fibers with laser light outside of the peak absorption band of the optical fibers, for example splicing of silica optical fibers at wavelengths smaller than about 9 μm. In some variants, the product of the absorption coefficient at ambient temperature of the optical fibers at the wavelength of the laser light with the power of the laser light is smaller than the product of the peak absorption coefficient at ambient temperature in the absorption band by the power required to splice the optical fibers with light at the peak absorption.

An optical probe receives an optical signal output from a test subject. The optical probe includes an optical waveguide composed of a core portion and a cladding portion disposed on an outer periphery of the core portion, wherein an incident surface of the optical waveguide, which receives the optical signal, is a convex spherical surface with a constant curvature radius.