Compact 90° Releasable Multifiber Optical Connectivity Solution

A compact releasable 90deg optical connectivity solution is proposed, realized, and characterized. It can be used for angled interconnection between two small form factor multifiber connectors, or between one connector and surface mounted multichannel active optical elements such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and photodetector arrays. This 90deg connectivity system is based on V-groove substrates and an integrated optical microsystem combining two lens arrays and a 45deg mirror. Realized modules feature average fiber-to-fiber optical losses of 1.4 dB (best below 1 dB) for multimode operation over the whole wavelength range from 850 up to 1550 nm. This interconnect solution provides advantages when limited space is available (e.g., in optical distribution frames, splice closures, high-performance computers)