Low-loss connections between no-polish optical fibers in elastically deformable connectors

Low-loss connections between no-polish optical fibers were realized by using a combination of elastically deformable connectors and a laser cleaving process. The elastic connectors have an elastically deformable mechanism, which enables one to cancel out variations both in the fiber length in a fiber ribbon and in the fixed positions of the fiber ribbons in the connectors. A laser cleaving process was employed to cleave no-polish fiber facets. The fiber facets show slightly protruded convex shapes, which were almost the same as those of the polished facets. We confirmed that physical contact connections between the laser-cleaved no-polish fibers in the elastic connectors were realized. The average insertion loss and return loss of cables including connection between the no-polish fibers in elastic connectors were 0.19 dB and 23.4 dB, respectively. The values were almost the same as those of cables including connection between polished fibers in mechanically transferable connectors. Furthermore, the durability of the connections between the elastic connectors over 250 repeated mating/dematings in a high-density mid-plane connector housing was also confirmed.