Abstract: An optical connector that is capable of ensuring excellent waterproofing using a simple structure is provided. The optical connector comprises a connector plug and socket. Each of the plug and socket have a housing, which has a cable-guiding part and a cable-retaining part; a ferrule disposed within the housing and to hold a leading-end part of an optical fiber exposed from a sheath of an optical cable; and a seal member disposed between the cable-guiding part and the cable-retaining part to seal the cable-guiding part.

Abstract: To provide an optical connector that enables the reduction in the number of parts and can be easily attached to an optical cable, a concave portion 18 for a ferrule is formed in a plug housing 6, and a ferrule 3 is inserted from the side of a collar portion 10 into the concave portion 18 for a ferrule. A hook portion 28 for a ferrule is provided in a protruding condition inside the plug housing 6. The collar portion 10 is guided by the hook portion 28 for a ferrule, which has been elastically deformed, and moves toward a bottom surface 26 of the concave portion 18 for a ferrule. Where the collar portion 10 reaches a space between the bottom surface 26 and the hook portion 28 for a ferrule, the hook portion 28 for a ferrule is elastically restored. Therefore, even if the collar portion 10 tries to move toward an opening 24 of the concave portion 18 for a ferrule, the collar portion is locked by the hook portion 28 for a ferrule and the movement is inhibited.

Abstract: An optical splicer 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of optical fibers 6, and an optical splice member 8 having a plurality of fiber holes 14 in each of which a portion including one end 6a of each fiber 6 is inserted, and a mode field diameter W1 in one end 6a of optical fiber 6 is enlarged relative to a mode field diameter W2 in the other portion of optical fiber 6.

Abstract: A flow of a resin which is injected for insert-molding a wiring plate into an end face of an optical fiber positioning component is regulated by regulating portions disposed in side portions of a die. Therefore, leads of the wiring plate can be prevented from being fixed while remaining to be positionally displaced by the force of the flowing resin. As a result, three-dimensional electrical wirings can be formed easily and correctly.

Abstract: Three-dimensional wiring can be easily laid and an electrode terminating on a slanted surface can be easily formed. A photoelectric coupling assembly comprises a photoelectric conversion unit and a molded article. The molded article includes a hole to receive an optical fiber, a distal end surface being slanted to an axis of the hole, a side surface forming an acute angle with the distal end surface, and an electrode mounted to the distal end surface. The electrode has a first end terminating within the distal end surface and a second end having an end surface exposed on the side surface. A method includes holding a wiring plate having a lead in a state where a supported end of the lead is positioned on a side surface of the molded article and insert-molding the article, cutting the wiring plate from the article, and mounting the conversion unit on the distal end surface.

Abstract: Three-dimensional wiring can be easily laid and an electrode terminating on a slanted surface can be easily formed. A photoelectric coupling assembly comprises a photoelectric conversion unit and a molded article. The molded article includes a hole to receive an optical fiber, a distal end surface being slanted to an axis of the hole, a side surface forming an acute angle with the distal end surface, and an electrode mounted to the distal end surface. The electrode has a first end terminating within the distal end surface and a second end having an end surface exposed on the side surface. A method includes holding a wiring plate having a lead in a state where a supported end of the lead is positioned on a side surface of the molded article and insert-molding the article, cutting the wiring plate from the article, and mounting the conversion unit on the distal end surface.

Abstract: An optical multiplexer/demultiplexer is provided with a first member, a second member and an optical filter. The first member is a planar waveguide and is formed with an optical waveguide and another optical waveguide. The second member is a planar waveguide and is formed with an optical waveguide and another optical waveguide. The optical filter is a dielectric multi-layered filter and is sandwiched between the end face of the first member and the end face of the second member.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for expanding the mode field diameter of an optical fiber by heating a specified region of the optical fiber with a uniform or desired temperature distribution for forming a thermally-diffused expanded core (TEC). The mode field diameter of the optical fiber is expanded by heating an optical fiber 1 with a burner 11 so as to thermally diffuse the dopant forming the refractive-index profile. The burner 11 has a heating surface 11a in which a plurality of gas-issuing holes 12 are arranged such that a plurality of parallel rows each of which is composed of a plurality of gas-issuing holes 12 are parallel to the axis of the optical fiber 1.

Abstract: In an optical fiber array, an optical fiber, a bundle of optical fibers or an optical fiber ribbon is mounted on an array substrate with a V-groove or V-grooves. A bare fiber portion in which a fiber coating is removed is placed in the V-groove, pressed by a presser member 6 and bonded by adhesives. At the front end, the fiber(s) is/are accurately positioned to connect to optical components or PLCs. The bare fiber portion contains a spliced portion of the dissimilar optical fibers having different mode field diameters and a mode field converting portion. The spliced portion of the dissimilar optical fibers is mounted on the array substrate. A flexible protection member is provided in the fiber coating portion extending over a rear edge of the array substrate. The optical fiber is bonded onto the array substrate, employing three kinds of adhesives that are different in the Young's modulus after hardening and the viscosity before hardening.

Abstract: An optical multiplexer/demultiplexer is provided with a first member, a second member and an optical filter. The first member is a planar waveguide and is formed with an optical waveguide and another optical waveguide. The second member is a planar waveguide and is formed with an optical waveguide and another optical waveguide. The optical filter is a dielectric multi-layered filter and is sandwiched between the end face of the first member and the end face of the second member.

Abstract: An optical splicer 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of optical fibers 6, and an optical splice member 8 having a plurality of fiber holes 14 in each of which a portion including one end 6a of each fiber 6 is inserted, and a mode field diameter W1 in one end 6a of optical fiber 6 is enlarged relative to a mode field diameter W2 in the other portion of optical fiber 6.

Abstract: A vicinity of the fusion spliced portion of optical fibers is mounted on a heating board, after the dissimilar optical fibers having the different mode field diameters are fusion spliced. The vicinity of the fusion spliced portion of the optical fibers is then heated by a heat source via the heating board.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an optical device that can restrain the dependence of the center wavelength of reflection at the diffraction grating upon the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element from shifting depending on the temperature. An embodiment of the optical device has the following structure.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for expanding the mode field diameter of an optical fiber by heating a specified region of the optical fiber with a uniform or desired temperature distribution for forming a thermally-diffused expanded core (TEC). The mode field diameter of the optical fiber is expanded by heating an optical fiber 1 with a burner 11 so as to thermally diffuse the dopant forming the refractive-index profile. The burner 11 has a heating surface 11a in which a plurality of gas-issuing holes 12 are arranged such that a plurality of parallel rows each of which is composed of a plurality of gas-issuing holes 12 are parallel to the axis of the optical fiber 1.

Abstract: This invention provides an optical fiber component or the like having a structure with a high degree of freedom in design as an intermediate member for optically connecting optical functional components having different MFDs without increasing a connection loss. The optical fiber component includes an optical fiber having two end faces polished. The optical fiber has the first MFD conversion portion for changing the mode field diameter at an end portion including one end face, and the second MFD conversion portion for changing the mode field diameter at an end portion including the other end face opposing one end face.

Abstract: Provided are a method of splicing together multiple fibers having different mode field diameters (MFDs) en bloc at a low splicing loss and a multi-fiber component incorporating the fibers thus spliced. After a fusion-splicing operation has been conducted, additional heat treatment is applied to the portion of the fibers thus fusion-spliced so that a dopant contained in the core portions of the fibers is thermally diffused so as to cause the MFDs thereof to match each other. The multiple fibers are disposed in parallel in line. During the fusion-splicing operation, one or both of pairs of fibers 11a and 11b are pushed toward the other to face each other, and the fibers are pulled back in the opposite direction to decrease diameter increment created in fusion spliced portions, and then additional heat treatment is applied to the fusion-spliced portions 16.

Abstract: In an optical fiber array, an optical fiber, a bundle of optical fibers or an optical fiber ribbon is mounted on an array substrate with a V-groove or V-grooves. A bare fiber portion in which a fiber coating is removed is placed in the V-groove, pressed by a presser member 6 and bonded by adhesives. At the front end, the fiber(s) is/are accurately positioned to connect to optical components or PLCs. The bare fiber portion contains a spliced portion of the dissimilar optical fibers having different mode field diameters and a mode field converting portion. The spliced portion of the dissimilar optical fibers is mounted on the array substrate. A flexible protection member is provided in the fiber coating portion extending over a rear edge of the array substrate. The optical fiber is bonded onto the array substrate, employing three kinds of adhesives that are different in the Young's modulus after hardening and the viscosity before hardening.

Abstract: A method for heating optical fibers by electric discharge includes fusion splicing optical fibers and then applying a heating to a neighborhood of a fusion splicing part of the optical fibers by the electric discharge. The discharge electrodes are provided in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which the optical fibers are arranged. The heating is applied to the neighborhood of the fusion splicing part by the electric discharge with discharge electrodes. The discharge electrodes are moved not only in a direction of arrangement of the optical fibers but also in an axial direction of the optical fibers such that more thermal energy is applied to an optical fiber positioned closer to a center of the arrangement of the optical fibers than to an optical fiber positioned away from the center.

Abstract: A vicinity of the fusion spliced portion of optical fibers is mounted on a heating board, after the dissimilar optical fibers having the different mode field diameters are fusion spliced. The vicinity of the fusion spliced portion of the optical fibers is then heated by a heat source via the heating board.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an optical device that can restrain the dependence of the center wavelength of reflection at the diffraction grating upon the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element from shifting depending on the temperature. An embodiment of the optical device has the following structure.