Patent ID: 7058275
Filing Date: 2006-06-06
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A fibre optic assembly comprising: a substrate having an upper surface and a plurality of equally spaced apart parallel grooves therein opening to said upper surface; a plurality of optical fibres with each such fibre being located in a corresponding one of said grooves with a portion of each fibre projecting above said upper surface; said plurality of optical fibres including at least one operating inboard fibre, a pair of operating curb fibres with one such curb fibre extending along each side of said at least one inboard fibre, at least one of said operating fibres having polarizing (PZ) or polarization maintaining (PM) properties; an additional groove extending alongside each of the grooves containing a curb fibre, outboard therefrom, and being spaced therefrom by a distance equal to the spacing of said parallel grooves; a non-operating fibre located in each of said additional grooves; and an encapsulating material encapsulating each of said operating and non-operating fibres within its respective groove, whereby said non-operating fibres serve to contain said encapsulating material such that said encapsulating material symmetrically surrounds all of said operating fibres.