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, and wherein the ferrule is 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, 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.