Adapter tip and microscope system for inspection of fiber-optic connector endface
There is provided an adapter tip to be employed with an optical-fiber inspection microscope probe and an optical-fiber inspection microscope system suitable for imaging the optical-fiber endface of an angled-polished optical-fiber connector deeply recessed within a connector adapter. The adapter tip or microscope system comprises a relay lens system having at least a first relay lens which is disposed so as to directly receive light reflected from the optical-fiber endface during inspection, the lens axis of the first relay lens being offset relative to the optical-fiber endface so as to deviate light reflected from the optical-fiber endface towards the optical-fiber axis of the connector.
1. An adapter tip to be employed with an optical-fiber inspection microscope probe for imaging an optical-fiber endface of an angled-polished optical-fiber connector recessed within a connector adapter, the adapter tip comprising:
a housing having a mating interface configured to mechanically engage with the connector adapter for inspecting the optical-fiber endface within the connector adapter; and
a relay lens system disposed in said housing and having at least a first relay lens which is disposed so as to directly receive light reflected from said optical-fiber endface during inspection, the lens axis of said first relay lens being offset relative to a center of the optical-fiber endface toward a direction corresponding to the vector rejection of the normal to the optical-fiber endface on the optical-fiber axis of the connector so as to deviate light reflected from the optical-fiber endface towards the optical-fiber axis of the connector, wherein the lens axis of said first relay lens is offset relative to the center of the optical-fiber endface sufficiently so that the lens axis of said first relay lens does not intersect the optical-fiber endface.
2. The adapter tip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said relay lens system further comprises a second relay lens spaced apart from said first relay lens and cooperating with said first relay lens to deviate light reflected from the optical-fiber endface towards the optical-fiber axis of the connector.
3. The adapter tip as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said relay lens system produces an intermediate image plane that is tilted relative to a real object plane on which lies the optical-fiber endface, towards a plane orthogonal to the optical-fiber axis of the connector.
4. The adapter tip as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said intermediate image plane lies between said relay lens system and an objective lens of said optical-fiber inspection microscope probe.
5. The adapter tip as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a center of an input surface of said second relay lens is offset relative to the lens axis of said first relay lens.
6. The adapter tip as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the lens axis of said first relay lens and the lens axis of said second relay lens are both parallel to said optical-fiber axis.
7. The adapter tip as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said optical-fiber inspection microscope probe comprises an objective lens and wherein the lens axis of said objective lens is parallel to said optical-fiber axis.
8. The adapter tip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said adapter tip receives illumination light from the optical-fiber inspection microscope probe during inspection in order to image the optical-fiber endface and wherein said relay lens system redirects the illumination light substantially normal to the optical-fiber endface.
9. The adapter tip as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising correction optics to correct for optical aberrations induced by said relay lens system and wherein said correction optics comprises an optical plate disposed at a non-zero angle relative to optical-fiber axis of the connector.
10. The adapter tip as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said lens axis of said first relay lens is parallel to said optical-fiber axis.
11. An optical-fiber inspection microscope system for imaging an optical-fiber endface of an angled-polished optical-fiber connector recessed in a channel, the microscope system comprising:
an optical-fiber inspection microscope probe; and
an adapter tip connectable to the optical-fiber inspection microscope probe and comprising:
a housing having a mating interface configured to mechanically engage with the connector adapter for inspecting the optical-fiber endface within the connector adapter;
a relay lens system disposed in said housing and having at least a first relay lens which is disposed so as to directly receive light reflected from said optical-fiber endface during inspection, the lens axis of said first relay lens being offset relative to a center of the optical-fiber endface toward a direction corresponding to the vector rejection of the normal to the optical-fiber endface on the optical-fiber axis of the connector so as to deviate light reflected from the optical-fiber endface towards the optical-fiber axis of the connector, wherein the lens axis of said first relay lens is offset relative to the center of the optical-fiber endface sufficiently so that the lens axis of said first relay lens does not intersect the optical-fiber endface.
12. The optical-fiber inspection microscope system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said relay lens system further comprises a second relay lens spaced apart from said first relay lens and cooperating with said first relay lens to deviate light reflected from the optical-fiber endface towards the optical-fiber axis of the connector.
13. The adapter tip as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said relay lens system produces an intermediate image plane that is tilted relative to a real object plane on which lies the optical-fiber endface, towards a plane orthogonal to the optical-fiber axis of the connector.
14. The optical-fiber inspection microscope system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said relay lens system produces said intermediate image plane lies between said second relay lens and an objective lens of said optical-fiber inspection microscope probe.
15. The optical-fiber inspection microscope system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a center of an input surface of said second relay lens is offset relative to the lens axis of said first relay lens.
16. The optical-fiber inspection microscope system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the lens axis of said first relay lens and the lens axis of said second relay lens are both parallel to said optical-fiber axis.
17. The optical-fiber inspection microscope system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said optical-fiber inspection microscope probe comprises an objective lens and wherein the lens axis of said objective lens is parallel to said optical-fiber axis.
18. The optical-fiber inspection microscope system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said adapter tip receives illumination light from the optical-fiber inspection microscope probe during inspection in order to image the optical-fiber endface and wherein said relay lens system redirects the illumination light substantially normal to the optical-fiber endface.
19. The optical-fiber inspection microscope system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said adapter tip further comprises correction optics to correct for optical aberrations induced by said relay lens system and wherein said correction optics comprises an optical plate disposed at a non-zero angle relative to the first relay lens.
20. The optical-fiber inspection microscope system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said lens axis of said first relay lens is parallel to said optical-fiber axis.