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.

An optical connector assembly includes a spring, a ferrule, a first housing, and a second housing connected to the first housing. The ferrule includes a ferrule body and a lens. The ferrule body defines a fiber receiver configured to receive optical fibers of an optical cable and a first spring receiver configured to receive the spring. The lens is arranged to optically communicate light propagated by the received optical fibers for free-space optical communication. The first housing defines a first opening configured to slidably receive and guide the ferrule for movement along a first longitudinal axis. The second housing defines a second opening configured to receive the optical cable therethrough along a second longitudinal axis, and a second spring receiver configured to receive the spring. The spring biases movement of the ferrule in the first housing away from the second housing.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to enable customization of pigtail lengths of optical connectors. Disclosed is an apparatus comprising an affixed fiber array unit plug including a first optical fiber, a detachable fiber array unit plug including a second optical fiber, the detachable fiber array unit plug to be removably coupled to the affixed fiber array unit plug, and guide pins to interface with both the detachable fiber array unit plug and the affixed fiber array unit plug when coupled together, the guide pins to facilitate alignment of the first optical fiber with the second optical fiber.

An optical ferrule configured to move along a mating direction to mate with a mating optical ferrule. The optical ferrule includes an attachment portion for receiving and securing one or more optical waveguides. First and second engagement portions are formed integrally with the optical ferrule and spaced apart from each other along the mating direction. First and second engagement portions are formed integrally with the mating optical ferrule and spaced apart from each other along the mating direction. When the optical ferrule mates with the mating optical ferrule, the first and second engagement portions of the optical ferrule engage the respective second and first engagement portions of the mating optical ferrule. The engagement of the engagement portions of the optical ferrules prevents each of the optical ferules from moving relative to the other optical ferrule along at least mutually orthogonal first and second directions orthogonal to the mating direction.

A field installable fiber optic connector for use with polymer optical fibers includes a housing that releasably connects to another optical device. A mechanical termination assembly is located in the housing to mechanically terminate a plurality of individual fibers of the polymer optical fibers. Ferrules are supported by the housing. Each ferrule is positioned to receive one of the individual fibers from the mechanical termination assembly.

An optical ferrule comprises first and second compound stop features respectively disposed at opposing sides of the optical ferrule. Each compound stop feature has upper and lower contact surfaces. The lower contact surface is offset below the mating surface of the optical ferrule along a thickness axis perpendicular to the mating surface. The upper contact surface is offset above the mating surface along the thickness axis. The lower contact surface is offset forward from the upper stop surface along a mating direction of the optical ferrule. A connecting surface connects the upper contact surface and the lower contact surface.

An optical assembly includes an optical ferrule configured to receive light from an optical waveguide and including at least four ferrule alignment features; and a cradle securing the optical ferrule therein and configured to align the optical ferrule to an optical component, the cradle including at least four cradle alignment features configured to make contact or near contact with the at least four ferrule alignment features in a one to one correspondence in at least four corresponding contact regions, such that as a temperature of at least one of the cradle and the optical ferrule changes sufficiently, the corresponding alignment features of the optical ferrule and the cradle slide relative to each other causing the corresponding alignment features of the optical ferrule and the cradle to move to define corresponding traversed regions, such that when extended, the traversed regions of the at least four ferrule alignment features and the at least four cradle alignment features pass within 20 microns of a same first point.

A fiber alignment device is provided that includes a curable refractive index-matching gel that exhibits self-cleaning and self-healing characteristics upon multiple cycles of insertion and removal of an optical fiber.

An optical fiber pitch conversion jig for converting a pitch among optical fibers by inserting the optical fibers from a first end of the optical fiber pitch conversion jig and making the optical fibers protrude from a second end of the optical fiber pitch conversion jig, the optical fiber pitch conversion jig includes: a groove portion including grooves extending from the first end to the second end, a first linear part on a side closer to the first end and in which a pitch among the grooves is a first pitch, and a pitch change part that is continuous with the first linear part and in which the pitch widens to a second pitch larger than the first pitch. In the pitch change part, at least one of the grooves is curved.

A coupling unit includes a light coupling element comprising an attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to a plurality of optical waveguides. One or more grooves are provided at the attachment area. Each groove is configured to receive an optical waveguide and defined by a bottom surface, a first region, a second region, and an opening. The first region is defined between the bottom surface and the second region. The first region in cross section has substantially parallel sidewalls separated by a spacing. The second region is disposed between the first region and the opening. A width of the opening is greater than the spacing.