REINFORCED MULTICORE OPTICAL FIBER COUPLER

摘要

A reinforced structure for a multicore optical fiber coupler wherein a longitudinal coating resin of a multicore optical fiber, having a plurality of optical fiber strands positioned in parallel arrangement to each other and collectively coated with a common coating resin, is partially removed so as to expose the glass portions of the optical fiber strands. The exposed glass portions are then fused and extended. The non-extended portions on the opposite sides of the fused and extended portion of the glass portion of each of the plurality of optical fiber strands in the extending direction are accommodated respectively in a plurality of grooves formed in a reinforcing casing. The reinforcing casing is made of a material having substantially the same coefficient of linear expansion as that of quartz.