Optical fiber and composite inorganic ferrule assemblies

摘要

A pre-terminated optical fiber assembly with a ferrule having front and rear opposed faces and at least one fiber bore defined longitudinally therethrough includes a glass optical fiber is disposed within the at least one fiber bore with the fiber fused to the ferrule at a location at least 1 mm deep inside the bore. A method for fusing is also disclosed. The ferrule 14 is desirably composed of an inorganic composite material, the composite comprising a material gradient from at least 75% by volume of a first inorganic material to at least 75% by volume of second inorganic material in the radially inward direction, where the first inorganic material has a fracture toughness of at least 1 MPa·m1/2, and the second inorganic material has a softening point of no greater than 1000° C., desirably no greater than 900° C.

主权项

1. An optical fiber assembly, comprising:
a ferrule having front and rear opposed faces and at least one fiber bore defined longitudinally therethrough; and a glass optical fiber disposed within the at least one fiber bore of the ferrule; wherein the fiber is fused to the ferrule at a location at least 1 mm deep inside the at least one fiber bore; wherein the ferrule is composed of an inorganic composite material, the inorganic composite comprising a material gradient from at least 75% by volume of a first inorganic material to at least 75% by volume of a second inorganic material in the radially inward direction, the first inorganic material having a fracture toughness of at least 1 MPa·m1/2, the second inorganic material having a softening point of no greater than 1000° C. and wherein the material gradient of the ferrule transitions either:
(a) by including both the first and second inorganic materials in the transition while continuously changing the respective percentages by volume thereof with respect to a distance through the transition over a length radially inward through the ferrule of at least 1/10 of a radius of the ferrule; or(b) in a stepped manner from the at least 75% by volume of the first inorganic material to the at least 75% by volume of the second inorganic material in the radially inward direction, wherein the stepped transition includes layers having both the first and second inorganic materials in the respective layers but with differing ratios of the first and second inorganic materials relative to one another.