Abstract: The present disclosure includes an optical fiber ribbon, using polymer optical fibers and an extremely thin adhesive coating to provide adhesion between the fibers. The external surfaces of the optical fiber ribbons are precisely placed with respect to the optical cores of the constituent fibers, and the optical cores of the fibers are precisely placed with respect to each other. Therefore, the external surface of the ribbon is used as a reference surface for aligning the array of optical fiber cores to arrays of optical emitters or detectors at the ends of the ribbon. Thus, the optical fiber ribbon of the present disclosure is cut, either by a sharp blade or other tool as suitable to expose a cross-section of the ribbon, and inserted as a single unit into a receptacle that aligns the outer surface of the ribbon with respect to the array of optical emitters or detectors.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes an optical fiber ribbon, using polymer optical fibers and an extremely thin adhesive coating to provide adhesion between the fibers. The external surfaces of the optical fiber ribbons are precisely placed with respect to the optical cores of the constituent fibers, and the optical cores of the fibers are precisely placed with respect to each other. Therefore, the external surface of the ribbon is used as a reference surface for aligning the array of optical fiber cores to arrays of optical emitters or detectors at the ends of the ribbon. Thus, the optical fiber ribbon of the present disclosure is cut, either by a sharp blade or other tool as suitable to expose a cross-section of the ribbon, and inserted as a single unit into a receptacle that aligns the outer surface of the ribbon with respect to the array of optical emitters or detectors.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes an optical fiber ribbon, using polymer optical fibers and an extremely thin adhesive coating to provide adhesion between the fibers. The external surfaces of the optical fiber ribbons are precisely placed with respect to the optical cores of the constituent fibers, and the optical cores of the fibers are precisely placed with respect to each other. Therefore, the external surface of the ribbon is used as a reference surface for aligning the array of optical fiber cores to arrays of optical emitters or detectors at the ends of the ribbon. Thus, the optical fiber ribbon of the present disclosure is cut, either by a sharp blade or other tool as suitable to expose a cross-section of the ribbon, and inserted as a single unit into a receptacle that aligns the outer surface of the ribbon with respect to the array of optical emitters or detectors.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes an optical fiber ribbon, using polymer optical fibers and an extremely thin adhesive coating to provide adhesion between the fibers. The external surfaces of the optical fiber ribbons are precisely placed with respect to the optical cores of the constituent fibers, and the optical cores of the fibers are precisely placed with respect to each other. Therefore, the external surface of the ribbon is used as a reference surface for aligning the array of optical fiber cores to arrays of optical emitters or detectors at the ends of the ribbon. Thus, the optical fiber ribbon of the present disclosure is cut, either by a sharp blade or other tool as suitable to expose a cross-section of the ribbon, and inserted as a single unit into a receptacle that aligns the outer surface of the ribbon with respect to the array of optical emitters or detectors.

Abstract: In the present disclosure, a termination apparatus and process is disclosed that optimizes the termination of polymer optical fiber ribbons, eliminates the need for a ferrule and connector, and utilizes lower-cost materials instead of diamond for the cutting blade.

Abstract: Mode-coupled plastic or glass optical fibers are used in communications systems to carry optical signals between transmitters and receivers. In order to overcome the high attenuation characteristics of mode-coupled optical fibers, the launch power used to transmit signals over the optical links is higher than those typically used in comparable conventional communications systems that rely on standard single-mode or multimode glass optical fibers. In order to accommodate the larger launch power levels, the communications systems are designed with receivers having a larger dynamic range than those used in conventional communications systems. In addition, the mode-coupled optical fibers can have diameters on the order of 50-62.5 microns, or even larger, thereby enabling the use of relatively simple and inexpensive butt coupling between the fibers and other system components (e.g., transmitters and receivers).