Method of manufacturing optical branching and coupling device.

摘要

A method of fabricating an optical branching and coupling device, includes the steps of preparing at least a pair of coated optical fibers; (1a,1b...and 2a,2b...) partly stripping the coating of the optical fibers; and fixedly inserting the coat-stripped parts (A) of the optical fibers into a pair of comb-shaped grooves (3a,4a) under a condition which is free from tension and torsional stress in an optical axial direction to bring the coat-stripped parts into contact with each other between the comb-shaped grooves. The method also includes the steps of melting the coat-stripped parts thus contacting each other by heating to unify the coat-stripped parts; and extending the coat-stripped parts in the optical axial direction.