Rod lens fixing method and fiber collimator manufactured thereby.

摘要

A rod lens fixing method which can prevent the generation of cracks in a rod lens due to annealing to be carried out after welding a lens assembly. The rod lens fixing method includes the steps of providing a flanged split sleeve having an axial slit (25) extending continuously from one end of the flanged split sleeve to the other end thereof, the axial slit (25) being wide enough at at least a flange (24) of the flanged split sleeve to permit laser welding; press-fitting the rod lens (6) into the flanged split sleeve; and applying a solder into the axial slit (25) to solder the rod lens (6) to the flanged split sleeve. This method further includes the steps of inserting the flanged split sleeve into a bore formed at one end portion of a sleeve, the bore having a diameter larger than an outer diameter of the flanged split sleeve and smaller than an outer diameter of the flange; and laser-welding the flange to one end surface of the sleeve at a plurality of points on an outer circumference of the flange (24) and in the axial slit (25). The laser welding in the axial slit (25) of the flange (24) causes the acting of shrinkage forces in the flange to thereby prevent the generation of cracks in the rod lens (6) during the annealing. <IMAGE>