Patent ID: 8622625
Filing Date: 2014-01-07
Classification: G02B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of connectorizing an optical fiber comprising, in order, the steps of: (a) providing a nano-engineered fiber having a core, a cladding with non-periodically disposed voids, and at least one of a coating and a buffer; (b) stripping a length of the at least one of the coating and the buffer to expose an end portion of the optical fiber; (c) mounting the optical fiber within a connector ferrule having a ferrule end face so that the exposed portion of the fiber protruding beyond the ferrule end face; and (d) cleaving the exposed optical fiber portion that protrudes beyond the ferrule end face, forming a cleaved end face; (e) applying a predetermined amount of energy to cleaved end-face sufficient to collapse and seal the voids exposed at the cleaved end face, to provide a fiber end face having no voids to a depth of not more than 11 μm; wherein the stripped optical fiber has a cross-sectional diameter that does not change by more than 1% after the voids are collapsed; wherein the stripped optical fiber has a cross-sectional diameter change after the voids are collapsed is between 0.08% and 1%.