Lens-based optical connector assemblies and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a lens-based connector assembly includes a glass-based optical substrate includes at least one optical element within the optical substrate, and at least one alignment feature positioned at an edge of the glass-based optical substrate, wherein the at least one alignment feature is located within 0.4 μm of a predetermined position with respect to the at least one optical element along an x-direction and a y-direction. The lens-based connector assembly further includes a connector element including a recess having an interior surface, The interior surface has at least one connector alignment feature. The glass-based optical substrate is disposed within the recess such that the at least one alignment feature of the glass-based optical substrate engages the at least one connector alignment feature.

Lens-based optical connector assemblies and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a lens-based connector assembly includes a glass-based optical substrate includes at least one optical element within the optical substrate, and at least one alignment feature positioned at an edge of the glass-based optical substrate, wherein the at least one alignment feature is located within 0.4 μm of a predetermined position with respect to the at least one optical element along an x-direction and a y-direction. The lens-based connector assembly further includes a connector element including a recess having an interior surface, The interior surface has at least one connector alignment feature. The glass-based optical substrate is disposed within the recess such that the at least one alignment feature of the glass-based optical substrate engages the at least one connector alignment feature.

An expanded beam connector has a MOST ferrule; a fiber to be retained within the MOST ferrule; and, a collimating lens abutting the fiber for expanding the optical beam of the fiber wherein the lens and fiber are in alignment to a common optic axis. In one embodiment, the collimating lens can have a conical cutout configured to aid in aligning the fiber to the common optic axis. In another embodiment, the collimating lens can have a semi-cylindrical tab protruding from the rear with a V-groove configured to interact with a flexible feature on the interior of the ferrule to align the fiber to the common optic axis.

An optical imaging connector connects an optical fiber to a lens located adjacent to an imaging target, such as the brain tissue of a laboratory animal. A fiber assembly of the connector includes a ferrule holding the fiber and a ferrule adapter with a radially-extending coupler. The fiber assembly is removably joined to a lens assembly that holds the lens adjacent to a receptacle in which the ferrule is inserted coaxial to the lens. The lens holder has a radially-extending coupler that engages the coupler of the ferrule adapter to hold the two assemblies together. A focus adjustment mechanism, such as a screw, is manually adjustable by a user to change the position of the second coupler relative to the lens holder, and thereby change the axial position of the ferrule in the ferrule receptacle. One or more magnets may be used to provide a mutual attraction between the couplers.

An optical coupler for mounting at a distal end of an optical imaging device includes a visualization section and an attachment section. At least one surface of the visualization section has a roughness that does not interfere with a video capture system of an optical imaging device. The optical coupler is sized and dimensioned for introduction into a region of the patient's heart for viewing a procedure, such as a heart valve repair or replacement procedure.

A light coupling unit for use in an optical connector includes a waveguide alignment member that receives and aligns at least one optical waveguide. The light coupling unit includes a light redirecting member that has an input surface configured to receive input light from the end face of the optical waveguide. A curved reflective surface of the light redirecting member receives light from the input surface propagating along an input axis and redirects the light such that the redirected light propagates along a different redirected axis. An output surface of the light redirecting member receives the redirected light and transmits the redirected light as output light propagating along an output axis and exiting the light redirecting member. A curved intersection of the curved reflective surface and a first plane formed by the input and redirected axes has a radius of curvature. The curved reflective surface has an axis of revolution disposed in the first plane. The axis of revolution forms a first angle with the redirected axis which is non-zero. The waveguide alignment member is configured such that the end face of the optical waveguide is positioned at a location that is not a geometric focus of the curved reflective surface.

An optical module using an optical assembly for optical transmission and reception is disclosed. At least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides an optical module which can improve the productivity by enabling efficient optical alignment and optical coupling between optical devices and optical fibers in an optical transmission-reception module using a plurality of optical fibers while increasing the data transfer rate per unit module.

An optical module using an optical assembly for optical transmission and reception is disclosed. At least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides an optical module which can improve the productivity by enabling efficient optical alignment and optical coupling between optical devices and optical fibers in an optical transmission-reception module using a plurality of optical fibers while increasing the data transfer rate per unit module.

A lens plate for fiber-optic ferrules has an inner side and an outer side. The inner side of the lens plate has a plurality of lenses on an inner base in an inner central recessed portion of the inner side, the inner side facing an end face of the fiber-optic ferrule. The plurality of lenses are configured to collimate an optical beam received thereupon. There is an outer base in an outer central recessed portion on the outer side and at least partially circumscribed by an outer face, the inner central recessed portion and the outer central recessed portion at least partially overlie one another. There is also a method for collimating an optical beam output from a fiber-optic ferrule end face using a lens plate.

An optical coupler for mounting at a distal end of an optical imaging device includes a visualization section and an attachment section. At least one surface of the visualization section has a roughness that does not interfere with a video capture system of an optical imaging device. The optical coupler is sized and dimensioned for introduction into a region of the patient's heart for viewing a procedure, such as a heart valve repair or replacement procedure.