Effective coupling for multifiber connection into optical waveguides based on spherical lensed optical fibers

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Optical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Efficient optical data transmission relies on low-loss connections between optical components.
• Existing methods for coupling optical fibers to polymer waveguides often involve complex alignment or direct contact, leading to potential damage and signal degradation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate a non-contact method for coupling telecom optical fibers to polymer optical waveguides.
• To achieve low-loss optical signal transmission through improved coupling efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a spherical lensed optical fiber using an electric arc method.
• Characterization of the lensed fiber's focal properties to optimize coupling.
• Development and prototyping of multi-fiber connectors for non-contact coupling.
• Measurement of optical losses at 850 nm and 1300 nm wavelengths for different connector configurations.

Main Results:

• Achieved low-loss coupling using a lensed optical fiber, mitigating geometric mismatch issues.
• Determined an optimal non-contact distance of 50 µm between the lensed fiber (180 µm diameter) and the waveguide.
• Prototyped two multi-fiber connector designs, with optical losses as low as 0.75 ± 0.06 dB at 1300 nm for the minimalist version.

Conclusions:

• The proposed non-contact coupling method using lensed optical fibers is effective for connecting telecom fibers and polymer waveguides.
• The lensed fiber approach significantly improves coupling efficiency and reduces optical losses compared to conventional methods.
• The developed multi-fiber connectors offer practical solutions for low-loss, non-contact optical interconnections.