OPTICAL CONNECTORS AND RELATED MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES
Various techniques are provided for manufacturing an optical connector. In one example, a technique may include applying an optical adhesive to a first end of the optical fiber, translating the optical fiber towards a lens to at least partially adhere the end of the optical fiber to the lens by the optical adhesive, and suspending the lens from the optical fiber to align a center of gravity of the lens with an optical path of the optical fiber to maintain optical beam power loss below a power loss threshold. Additional methods, systems, and apparatus are also provided.
1 . A method comprising:
applying an optical adhesive to a first end of the optical fiber;
translating the optical fiber towards a lens to at least partially adhere the end of the optical fiber to the lens by the optical adhesive; and
suspending the lens from the optical fiber to align a center of gravity of the lens with an optical path of the optical fiber to maintain optical beam power loss below a power loss threshold.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing an optical sleeve comprising a sleeve body including a channel and a recess disposed on a first end of the sleeve body in communication with the channel;
passing, prior to the translating, the optical fiber through the channel and the recess to extend a portion of the optical fiber from the first end; and
drawing the optical fiber back through the channel to position the lens in the recess.
3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
applying a lens adhesive to the recess to secure the lens within the recess.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the lens is a substantially spherical lens and the recess is a substantially conical recess configured to receive the lens, and wherein the method further comprises:
forming, with the optical sleeve including the optical fiber and the lens positioned within the recess, an optical connector configured to project a free space optical beam from the lens in response to an optical signal provided to the optical fiber.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
curing the optical adhesive.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
cutting the optical fiber, prior to applying the optical adhesive, to expose the first end of the optical fiber.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing an optical signal to the optical fiber to project, by the lens, a free space optical beam having a substantially parallel shape and a substantially Gaussian power density distribution; and
analyzing the free space optical beam.
8 . A system comprising:
a fiber fixture configured to receive an optical fiber;
an actuator configured to cause the fiber fixture to move the optical fiber; and
a controller communicatively connected to the sleeve fixture, the fiber fixture, and the actuator and configured to cause the system to:
translate, by operating the actuator, the optical fiber received by the fiber fixture towards a lens to at least partially adhere the end of the optical fiber to the lens by the optical adhesive;
raise, by operating the actuator, the optical fiber while the lens is partially adhered to the optical fiber; and
suspend the lens from the optical fiber to align a center of gravity of the lens with an optical path of the optical fiber to maintain optical beam power loss below a power loss threshold.
9 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising a sleeve fixture and wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive, with the sleeve fixture, the optical sleeve comprising a sleeve body including a channel and a recess disposed on a first end of the sleeve body in communication with the channel;
pass, prior to the translating, the optical fiber through the channel and the recess to extend a portion of the optical fiber from the first end; and
draw, by operating the actuator, the optical fiber back through the channel to position the lens in the recess.
10 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising an adhesive applicator and wherein the controller is further configured to:
apply a lens adhesive to the recess to secure the lens within the recess.
11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the lens is a substantially spherical lens and the recess is a substantially conical recess configured to receive the lens, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
insert, by moving the sleeve fixture, the optical sleeve, including the optical fiber and the lens positioned within the recess, into an optical connector configured to project a free space optical beam from the lens in response to an optical signal provided to the optical fiber.
12 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising an ultraviolet source communicatively connected to the controller and wherein the controller is further configured to:
cure the optical adhesive with the ultraviolet source.
13 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising a cutter and an adhesive applicator communicatively connected to the controller and wherein the controller is further configured to:
cut the optical fiber to expose the first end of the optical fiber with the cutter; and
apply the optical adhesive to the first end of the optical fiber with the adhesive applicator.
14 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising a position sensor and wherein the controller is further configured to:
detect, with the position sensor, when the center of gravity of the lens is aligned with an optical path of the optical fiber.
15 . An apparatus comprising:
a sleeve body comprising a channel and a recess disposed on a first end of the sleeve body in communication with the channel;
an optical fiber disposed within the channel; and
a lens disposed within the recess and coupled to a first end of the optical fiber via an optical adhesive, wherein a center of gravity of the lens is substantially aligned with an optical path of the optical fiber, by suspension from the optical fiber during manufacture, to maintain optical beam power loss below a power loss threshold.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the recess comprises a substantially conical shape configured to align the lens within an alignment threshold within the recess.
17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the channel comprises a first portion with a first cross-sectional area and a second portion with a second cross-sectional area, wherein the first portion is disposed closer to the recess than the second portion, and wherein the first cross-sectional area is smaller than the second cross-sectional area.
18 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the lens is a ball lens.
19 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the lens is coupled to the lens opening via a lens adhesive.
20 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein a diameter of the lens is at least four times larger than a diameter of the optical fiber, the diameter of the lens is less than 2 millimeters, and a refractive index of the fiber and/or the ball lens is three or less.