Abstract: An optical element-optical fiber composite structure having a high resistance of the optical fiber to breakage due to cyclical change in temperature, includes a package structure having a main container, side containers attached to the main container and sleeves through which a main chamber of the main container is connected to side chambers of the side containers; an optical element housed in the main chamber; and optical fibers introduced into the main chamber through the side chambers and the sleeves and connected to the optical element.

Abstract: A jacket layer of a jacketed optical fiber is cut by a cutting method and apparatus in which (A) a terminal portion of a jacketed optical fiber is straightened and grasped by a fiber holder, and (B) a blade device having (a) a pair of cutting blades and (b) a blade holder in which device cutting edges of the blades are arranged in such a manner that the edges are opposite to each other through a gap left therebetween and are on one and the same plane, the straightened portion of the jacketed optical fiber extends at a substantially right angle to the plane, and a center line of the gap between the cutting edges intersects an axis of the straightened portion of the jacketed optical fiber, and is moved in at least one direction at a substantially right angle to the axis of the straightened portion of the jacketed optical fiber to cut the secondary coating layer at a depth equal to or larger than the thickness of the secondary coating layer but smaller than the total thickness of the primary and secondary coatin