A method for manufacturing an array of optical fiber ferrules includes producing on a first side of a wafer a pattern of an array of disks or holes (111, 112) in a metallic coating (121, 122). The metallic coating is covered with a negative photoresist layer. A second side of the wafer opposite to the first side is illuminated with light that propagates as a divergent or collimated beam through the photoresist layer, thereby creating a conical pattern within the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is developed to create conical apertures. A sheet with a conical openings pattern registered to the conical apertures is attached so that a small diameter of each conical opening of the sheet is smaller than, and in contact with, a large diameter of the conical aperture to which it is registered, thereby forming an array of optical fiber ferrules.

A multiport assembly including one or more optical adapters configured to receive an optical connector, a shell having a front face defining one or more connection port insert openings extending from an outer surface of the front face into a cavity of the shell, a connection port insert positioned at least partially within the one of the connection port insert openings of the shell, the connection port insert defining a body including an optical connector opening extending from a front end of the body to a rear end of the body, and a sealing member disposed between the connection port insert and the shell.

Optical fiber hole forming pins configured to form optical fiber holding holes each have a first portion located adjacent to a first end surface and a second portion located adjacent to a second end surface and larger in diameter than the first portion. At least one of the plurality of optical fiber hole forming pins is different from the other optical fiber hole forming pins in position, in a first direction, of a step portion located at a boundary between the first portion configured to form a small diameter portion of each of the optical fiber holding holes and the second portion configured to form a large diameter portion of each of the optical fiber holding holes.

A fiber optic adapter is disclosed. The fiber optic adapter includes a main body configured to receive a first fiber optic connector through a first end and a second fiber optic connector through a second end for mating with the first fiber optic connector. The adapter includes a ferrule alignment structure located within an axial cavity of the main body, the ferrule alignment structure including a sleeve mount and a ferrule sleeve, the sleeve mount including an axial bore and at least one latching hook extending from a center portion of the sleeve mount toward the first end of the main body and at least one latching hook extending from the center portion toward the second end of the main body, the latching hooks configured to flex for releasably latching the first and second fiber optic connectors to the fiber optic adapter. The sleeve mount and the main body of the fiber optic adapter are unitarily molded as a single piece and the ferrule sleeve is separately placed within the axial bore of the sleeve mount.

A ferrule mold having a reverse-image of a through-hole array for optical fibers is formed. A non-polymeric ferrule material is deposited in the reverse-image mold, followed by removing the mold to create a multi-fiber connector ferrule having at least two fiber through-holes. An optical fiber is inserted in each through-hole until each fiber endface is positioned approximately even with a connection surface of the ferrule. A fiber recess for each of the optical fibers is formed such that each fiber is recessed from the multi-fiber ferrule connection surface by a distance of at least 0.1 micron. The recess may be formed by differential polishing of the non-polymeric ferrule and endfaces of the optical fibers. Alternatively, a layer of spacer material may be deposited over the multi-fiber ferrule connection surface. An antireflection coating is deposited over the ends of the recessed fibers.

A unitary optical ferrule is molded to include one or more elements for receiving and securing one or more optical waveguides one or more elements for affecting one or more characteristics of light from the optical waveguide while propagating the light within the ferrule. The optical ferrule also includes one or more first alignment features and one or more second alignment features that, when the ferrule is mated with a mating ferrule, each controls alignment of the ferrule with the mating ferrule along three mechanical degrees of freedom. The surface of the optical ferrule can be divided along the thickness axis into a first section and an opposing second section, wherein the first section of the surface includes the receiving and securing elements, the light affecting elements, and the first alignment features and the second section of the surface includes the second alignment features.

A multi-piece optical coupling device comprises a first piece that includes one or more first receiving elements configured to receive and secure one or more optical waveguides. The first piece further includes one or more light affecting elements configured to affect one or more characteristics of light from the optical waveguides while propagating the light within the optical coupling device. A second piece is separate from the first piece and includes one or more second receiving elements configured to receive the waveguides, the first receiving elements and the second receiving elements configured to align the second piece and the first piece using the optical waveguides. The second piece also includes one or more mating alignment features configured to engage with a mating optical coupling device and to align the optical coupling device with the mating optical coupling device.

The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a low loss ferrule assembly having prefabricated optical fibers, a low loss ferrule assembly having prefabricated optical fibers manufactured according to the method and an optical fiber fixing mold for manufacturing the ferrule assembly, wherein a method for manufacturing a high-precision ferrule assembly comprises: disposing both ends of a plurality of optical fibers within a plurality of grooves at both ends of an optical fiber fixing mold, such that the plurality of optical fibers maintain a specific distance therebetween; disposing the plurality of optical fibers within a housing, and causing the plurality of optical fibers to be fixed relative to the housing, wherein the housing is of a split type; cutting and polishing the optical fibers at a first side of the housing. The solution provided by the present disclosure implements the ferrule assembly of the high-precision optical fiber connector with low costs. The method is simple and effective and has great use value.

An apparatus for facilitating manufacturing an optical fiber connector termination is disclosed. The apparatus may include a resin dispenser configured for dispensing a resin and including a resin dispenser outlet configured to be coupled with a resin inlet of a molded part. Further, the apparatus may include a vacuum generator configured for generating a negative pressure. Further, the vacuum generator may include a vacuum generator outlet configured to be coupled to at least one vacuum outlet of the molded part. Further, the vacuum generator may be configured for generating the negative pressure utilizing electrical energy. Further, the apparatus may include a controller electrically coupled to each of the resin dispenser and the vacuum generator. Further, the controller may be configured for controlling operation of the resin dispenser and the vacuum generator. Further, controlling operation of the vacuum generator may be based on at least one characteristic of the resin.

A ferrule mold having a reverse-image of a through-hole array for optical fibers is formed. A non-polymeric ferrule material is deposited in the reverse-image mold, followed by removing the mold to create a multi-fiber connector ferrule having at least two fiber through-holes. An optical fiber is inserted in each through-hole until each fiber endface is positioned approximately even with a connection surface of the ferrule. A fiber recess for each of the optical fibers is formed such that each fiber is recessed from the multi-fiber ferrule connection surface by a distance of at least 0.1 micron. The recess may be formed by differential polishing of the non-polymeric ferrule and endfaces of the optical fibers. Alternatively, a layer of spacer material may be deposited over the multi-fiber ferrule connection surface. An antireflection coating is deposited over the ferrule connection surface and ends of the recessed fibers.