Optical characteristics of injection molded plastic ferrules for single-mode optical fiber applications

Author

Yanagi, Shuichi ; Sato, Hirotsugu ; Shuto, Yoshito ; Ohno, Masayoshi ; Tohmo, S.

Author_Institution

NTT Opto-Electron. Labs., Ibaraki, Japan

Volume

5

Issue

5

fYear

1999

Firstpage

1266

Lastpage

1270

Abstract

We injection molded a plastic ferrule for a single-mode optical fiber connector. We used liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) as the molding material because of its fine mold replication ability and introduced an eccentricity control mechanism into the ferrule mold. As a result, we succeeded in molding plastic ferrules whose eccentricity was less than 1 μm by optimizing the eccentricity control conditions. The connection loss of these low eccentricity plastic ferrules was around 0.2 dB and they exhibited an excellent reflection characteristic of 52.5 dB. These initial results were maintained during mating tests and temperature and humidity cycling tests

Keywords

life testing; moulding; optical fibre couplers; optical fibre losses; optical fibre subscriber loops; optical fibre testing; optical polymers; plastics; 0.2 dB; connection loss; eccentricity control conditions; eccentricity control mechanism; excellent reflection characteristic; ferrule mold; fibre mating tests; fine mold replication ability; humidity cycling tests; injection molded plastic ferrules; liquid crystalline polymer; low eccentricity plastic ferrules; molding material; optical characteristics; plastic ferrule; single-made optical fiber applications; single-mode optical fiber connector; Connectors; Crystalline materials; Crystallization; Liquid crystal polymers; Optical fibers; Optical materials; Optical polymers; Optical reflection; Plastics; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1077-260X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/2944.806751

Filename

806751