An optical-fiber-attached ferrule includes: an optical fiber hole into which an optical fiber is inserted; and a filling section filled with a liquid refractive index-matching material. The filling section internally includes an opening surface of the optical fiber hole and an opposed surface that is opposed to the opening surface, and the filling section is filled with the liquid refractive index-matching material while an end surface of the optical fiber inserted into the optical fiber hole abuts with the opposed surface

An optical fiber splicer includes a fiber fixing portion, a first optical fiber fixed to the fiber fixing portion, a clamp portion which is capable of holding and fixing an extending portion extended from the fiber fixing portion of the first optical fiber and a tip portion of a second optical fiber optically connected to the extending portion of the first optical fiber between a base member and a pressing member being openable and closable with respect to the base member, and a solid index matching material which is attached to a tip surface of the extending portion of the first optical fiber and is interposed between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber.

An optical system and method for connecting two optical fibers is described in the present disclosure. An example optical system includes a first optical fiber embedded in an embedding material, the first optical fiber comprising side walls extending in a longitudinal direction in contact with the embedding material, a second, external, optical fiber, and a self-written waveguide in optical contact with the first and second optical fibers. Only a cross section perpendicular to the side walls of the first optical fiber is outside the embedding material, in contact with the self-written waveguide.

An optical-fiber-attached ferrule of the invention includes: an optical fiber; and a ferrule that holds an end portion of the optical fiber, where the ferrule includes a ferrule end surface, a fiber hole to insert the optical fiber, an adhesive-filling section that includes an opening surface of the optical fiber hole and an opposed surface opposed to the opening surface, and a light transmitting part that transmits an optical signal between the ferrule end surface and the opposed surface, and an end surface of the optical fiber is disposed close to the opposed surface in the adhesive-filling section The adhesive-filling section is filled with an optical adhesive with Shore hardness D of equal to or less than 50.

Improved optical fiber coupling reliability is realized by improving structures and materials used at the fiber joint. When ceramic ferrules are used at the fiber joint, the penetration of a UV-cured optical adhesive between the ceramic ferrules and the fiber ends is avoided or prevented, while an anti-reflective coating, an uncured optical adhesive, or a refractive index matching gel may be applied between the ceramic ferrules. When glass ferrules are used at the fiber joint, the UV-cured optical adhesive may be applied and fully cured between the glass ferrules and the fiber ends.

According to an aspect of the invention, an optical receptacle, comprising: a fiber stub including an optical fiber, a ferrule, and an elastic member, the optical fiber including cladding and a core for conducting light, the ferrule having a through-hole fixing the optical fiber, the elastic member being filled into the through-hole of the ferrule with the optical fiber; and a holder holding the fiber stub, the through-hole of the ferrule including a small diameter portion and a large diameter portion, the optical fiber being disposed in the small diameter portion, the large diameter portion being provided on a side opposite to a side to be optically connected to a plug ferrule, the optical fiber being disposed in the small diameter portion inside the through-hole of the ferrule over the entire region of the optical fiber, the elastic member having substantially the same refractive index as the core, being filled into the small diameter portion and the large diameter portion, and being polished to cause at least a portion of the elastic member to be a flat surface portion at an end surface of the fiber stub on the side opposite to the side to be optically connected to the plug ferrule. By disposing the optical fiber in the small diameter portion of the through-hole of the ferrule over the entire region of the optical fiber, the breaking and/or cracking of the optical fiber and the decrease of the coupling efficiency can be prevented. Further, by setting the end surface of the elastic member filled into the through-hole of the ferrule to be a flat surface, the decrease of the coupling efficiency due to reflections is prevented without performing processing of the optical fiber end surface; and economic production is made possible.

The ferrule has a rear end and a front end, an opening that is formed in the rear end and communicates with fiber holding holes holding the optical fibers formed from the rear end toward the front end, and first connection parts which are formed at the front end and to which the lens array is connected. The lens array has a rear face and a surface including an outgoing plane, lenses receiving the light from the optical fibers, and second connection parts connected to the first connection parts, the lenses and the second connection parts being formed on the rear face, and a flat face from which the light from the optical fibers is emitted, and third connection parts connected to an opposite connector, the flat face and the second connection parts being formed on the surface.

An optical fiber splicing structure of the invention includes: an optical fiber connector that is capable of holding an optical fiber at both sides thereof in a radial direction; a receiving optical fiber that is provided inside the optical fiber connector and has a hole opening at an end face of a connection end thereof; a solid refractive index matching layer that is formed at the end face of a connection end of the receiving optical fiber and enters the hole; and an external optical fiber that is to be butt-jointed to the receiving optical fiber by being butt-jointed to the receiving optical fiber at the end faces thereof with the refractive index matching layer interposed therebetween.

A terminus for a fiber optic cable includes a ferrule. In one embodiment, an optical fiber of the cable passes through a central bore of the ferrule and is attached to a lens seated in a conical or cylindrical seat formed in an end surface of the ferrule by an epoxy. In a second embodiment, an optical fiber of the cable passes through the central bore of the ferrule. Next, a cap sleeve with a lens therein is slid over and attached to the ferrule such that the lens abuts or is attached to the optical fiber. In either embodiment, an inspection slot may optionally be formed in the ferrule and/or the cap sleeve to allow a technician to inspect the state of the attachment and/or abutment and/or spacing of the optical fiber and the lens.

Disclosed are optical connectors and methods for making the same. In one embodiment, the optical connector comprises an optical body, one or more first magnetic materials attached to the optical body, a housing, and one or more second magnetic materials attached to the housing. The first magnetic material(s) provide alignment with an optical element of a complimentary receptacle and the optical body may include one or more openings for receiving the first magnetic materials. The second magnetic material(s) attached to the housing provide retention of the optical connector with the complimentary receptacle when mated together. Consequently, the optical connector allows for quick and easy assembly along with a robust structure for a large number of mating/unmating cycles. In other embodiments, the optical devices disclosed may further include one or more electrical contacts for making a hybrid connection or have a TIR surface integrated into a portion of a housing.