Abstract: According to the present invention, provided is a connection structure for lensed optical fibers, which is configured to establish PC connection of lensed optical fibers (1) each including an optical fiber (2) and a GRIN lens (3) that has a rod-like shape and is coaxially fused to a tip of the optical fiber, wherein each of the lensed optical fibers (1) includes an end surface (31) subjected to spherical polishing, and wherein the end surface (31) has a curvature radius (R) satisfying conditions expressed by the following relations (1) and (2): (W/2a)?1??(1); and a=(R·F·(¾)·(1?v2/E))1/3??(2), where W represents a beam diameter, “a” represents a radius of a contact surface, F represents a pressing force at the time of PC connection, “v” represents a Poisson's ratio of the GRIN lens, and E represents a Young's modulus of the GRIN lens.

Abstract: In connecting between lensed optical fibers (1) in which a rod-shaped GRIN lens (3) is coaxially fused with a tip of an optical fiber (2), end faces of the lensed optical fibers (1) are spherically polished with a curvature radius R of 2 mm or more to crimp the end faces with each other, whereby a connection loss upon performing PC connection is reduced.

Abstract: The polishing amount of an optical fiber component can be measured directly, accurately and easily in a real-time mode during polishing, regardless of the polishing amount of a ferrule. Provided is a method for measuring the polishing amount of an optical fiber component while performing polishing, the method including: branching an inspection light among a reference optical path having a variable optical path length, an optical fiber component being measured, and a comparison optical path, and determining a polishing amount of the optical fiber component by a change amount of a difference Lc between a reference optical path length when return light of the reference optical path interferes with return light of the optical fiber component being measured and a reference optical path length when the return light of the reference optical path interferes with return light of the comparison optical path.

Abstract: The polishing amount of an optical fiber component can be measured directly, accurately and easily in a real-time mode during polishing, regardless of the polishing amount of a ferrule. Provided is a method for measuring the polishing amount of an optical fiber component while performing polishing, the method including: branching an inspection light among a reference optical path having a variable optical path length, an optical fiber component being measured, and a comparison optical path, and determining a polishing amount of the optical fiber component by a change amount of a difference Lc between a reference optical path length when return light of the reference optical path interferes with return light of the optical fiber component being measured and a reference optical path length when the return light of the reference optical path interferes with return light of the comparison optical path.

Abstract: A portable apparatus for printing an image on a film or monitoring the image on a display screen. An image generator, such as a CRT, generates a viewable image. The display screen is in optical communication with the image generator and defines a first optical path. A first reflector is selectively movable into the first optical path to intercept the generated image in order to reflect the image over a second folded optical path, defined by second and third reflectors, to the film. Along the second folded optical path is an optical filter for filtering predetermined frequency components of the generated image. In a print mode, the first reflector is driven into the first optical path, such that the film is in optical communication with the image generator, for exposing the film to the generated image. In a monitor mode, the first reflector is driven out of the first optical path, such that the display screen is in optical communication with the image generator for displaying the generated image.