A large scale, non-blocking fiber optic cross-connect system consists of multiple stages, including a central multifiber per connection system. The number of ports of this cross-connect system scales to over 10,000, in an incremental, modular, field expandable approach. Two separate arrays of “edge” cross-connect systems using KBS methodology are positioned on opposite sides of a central core cross-connect system, wherein the core system is comprised of switchable blocks of multi-fiber trunk lines, each terminated in a single connector that is reconfigurable by robotic means. The trunk lines between edge cross-connects are controlled by a trunk line management system to provision/deprovision blocks of multiple connections at a time in a “core” cross-connect circuit block between edge cross-connects. The core system is configured to controllably interconnect the physically separate edge cross-connect systems which concurrently direct data along selected paths to and from the central core circuit block.

A large scale, non-blocking fiber optic cross-connect system consists of multiple stages, including a central multifiber per connection system. The number of ports of this cross-connect system scales to over 10,000, in an incremental, modular, field expandable approach. Two separate arrays of “edge” cross-connect systems using KBS methodology are positioned on opposite sides of a central core cross-connect system, wherein the core system is comprised of switchable blocks of multi-fiber trunk lines, each terminated in a single connector that is reconfigurable by robotic means. The trunk lines between edge cross-connects are controlled by a trunk line management system to provision/deprovision blocks of multiple connections at a time in a “core” cross-connect circuit block between edge cross-connects. The core system is configured to controllably interconnect the physically separate edge cross-connect systems which concurrently direct data along selected paths to and from the central core circuit block.

A method for manufacturing an intermittently coupled-type optical fiber ribbon includes arranging a plurality of optical fibers in parallel in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the plurality of optical fibers, coating all of the plurality of optical fibers with a coupling resin, intermittently inserting a cleaving blade into the coupling resin between some adjacent optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers to form slits. An outer diameter of each of the optical fibers is 220 μm or less. A distance between the optical fibers into which the cleaving blade is inserted among the adjacent optical fibers is 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less.

A method for manufacturing an intermittently coupled-type optical fiber ribbon includes arranging a plurality of optical fibers in parallel in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the plurality of optical fibers, coating all of the plurality of optical fibers with a coupling resin, intermittently inserting a cleaving blade into the coupling resin between some adjacent optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers to form slits. An outer diameter of each of the optical fibers is 220 μm or less. A distance between the optical fibers into which the cleaving blade is inserted among the adjacent optical fibers is 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less.

A multi-fiber push-on/pull-off (MPO) connector and an MPO connector tool configured to facilitate insertion and removal into and from an MPO adapter. The MPO connector includes a ferrule, an inner housing holding the ferrule, an outer housing slidably coupled to the inner housing, and a clip coupled to one end of the outer housing and including a main body, a pair of longitudinally extending latch arms for engaging the outer housing, and a pair of laterally extending posts extending from the main body. In use, the MPO connector tool is positionable to apply a force on the laterally extending posts to translate the clip thereby translating the outer housing longitudinally to facilitate connector insertion and removal.

An optical fiber connecting component includes a glass plate having a plurality of first through holes, a resin ferrule fixed to the glass plate and having a plurality of second through holes that are each coaxial with corresponding one of the plurality of first through holes, and a plurality of optical fibers including a glass fiber and a resin coating that covers the glass fiber. The glass fiber exposed from a tip of each of the optical fibers is held in corresponding one of the first through holes and corresponding one of the second through holes, and a material for the resin ferrule has a flexural modulus of 5 GPa or more at 200° C.

Optical connection systems, optical cable assemblies, and optical receptacle assemblies for optically coupling multiple optical fibers are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical receptacle assembly includes a receptacle housing, wherein the receptacle housing defines a receptacle passage, and an adapter sleeve disposed within the receptacle passage of the receptacle housing. The adapter sleeve includes a sleeve passage and a sleeve inner threaded surface. The optical receptacle assembly further includes an adapter housing disposed within the receptacle passage having a first connector opening and a second connector opening, a first receptacle optical connector and a second receptacle optical connector. The first receptacle optical connector is disposed within the first connector opening of the adapter housing and the second receptacle optical connector is disposed within the second connector opening of the adapter housing.

An optical connection structure includes a MCF, a first ferrule, a plurality of optical fibers, and a second ferrule. The MCF includes first cores and a first cladding. The first ferrule has a first inner hole and a first ferrule end surface. Each optical fiber optically connected to the MCF includes a second core and a second cladding. The second ferrule has a second inner hole housing tip parts of the optical fibers, and a second ferrule end surface. The second ferrule fixes the tip parts of the optical fibers in the second inner hole by an adhesive. The adhesive is packed in the second inner hole such that a surface of the adhesive is recessed from the second ferrule end surface into the second inner hole. A refractive-index matching material is applied in a space sealed by the first ferrule end surface and the second ferrule end surface.

A windowless multi-fiber ferrule including a ferrule body. The ferrule body includes a plurality of outer slots. The ferrule body defines an inner passage that extends through a length of the ferrule body from a front end to a rear end. The inner passage includes a main chamber and a row of parallel fiber bores. The ferrule body includes a first and a second major side which each define a plurality of slots. The ferrule body includes ferrule walls which are located between the main chamber and the major sides. The ferrule walls have a first thickness at the outer slots and a second thickness at the regions between the outer slots which is thicker than the first thickness. The main chamber includes sink locations adjacent the regions between the outer slots.

Systems for measuring a concentration of a target species include a first and second tunable diode laser generating laser light at a respective first and second wavelength each corresponding to respective absorption lines of the target species. A first optical fiber is optically coupled to the first tunable diode laser, and does not support a fundamental mode at the second wavelength. A second optical fiber is coupled to the second tunable diode laser and does not support a fundamental mode at the first wavelength. A fiber bundle includes respective distal ends of the first and second optical fibers, which are stripped of their respective coatings and arranged with their claddings adjacent to each other. A pitch head is configured to project respective optical beams from the fiber bundle through a measurement zone. A catch head located across the measurement zone receives the projected beams and directs them to a sensor.