An expanded beam ferrule (12, 12S, 12T) comprising: a first ferrule halve having at least one reflective surface; and a second ferrule halve having an end face, which together retain at least one optical fiber, wherein the at least one reflective surface is defined at an extended section of the first ferrule halve which extends beyond the second ferrule halve and has a distal end, the expanded beam ferrule being characterized in that: the at least one reflective surface reflects light perpendicular to a plane of the first ferrule halve facing the second ferrule halve and is an exposed opaque free surface of the first ferrule halve at which incident light is directed, and wherein the exposed opaque free surface is structured with a reflective geometry facing an end of the at least one optical fiber configured to reflect and focus collimated light to the end of the at least one optical fiber and to reflect and collimate light from the end of the at least one optical fiber, wherein the expanded beam ferrule (12, 12S, 12T) is configured to be inserted with another similar expanded beam ferrule into an alignment sleeve, such that the alignment sleeve is in contact with external surfaces of the first ferrule halve and second ferrule halve and the end face of the second ferrule halve of each of the expanded beam ferrules is in contact with the distal end of the first ferrule halve of the other expanded beam ferrule, in order to align the expanded beam ferrule to the other similar expanded beam ferrule, with the reflective surfaces of the respective expanded beam ferrules facing each other. a first ferrule halve having at least one reflective surface; and a second ferrule halve having an end face, which together retain at least one optical fiber, wherein the at least one reflective surface is defined at an extended section of the first ferrule halve which extends beyond the second ferrule halve and has a distal end, the expanded beam ferrule being characterized in that: the at least one reflective surface reflects light perpendicular to a plane of the first ferrule halve facing the second ferrule halve and is an exposed opaque free surface of the first ferrule halve at which incident light is directed, and wherein the exposed opaque free surface is structured with a reflective geometry facing an end of the at least one optical fiber configured to reflect and focus collimated light to the end of the at least one optical fiber and to reflect and collimate light from the end of the at least one optical fiber, wherein the expanded beam ferrule (12, 12S, 12T) is configured to be inserted with another similar expanded beam ferrule into an alignment sleeve, such that the alignment sleeve is in contact with external surfaces of the first ferrule halve and second ferrule halve and the end face of the second ferrule halve of each of the expanded beam ferrules is in contact with the distal end of the first ferrule halve of the other expanded beam ferrule, in order to align the expanded beam ferrule to the other similar expanded beam ferrule, with the reflective surfaces of the respective expanded beam ferrules facing each other. the at least one reflective surface reflects light perpendicular to a plane of the first ferrule halve facing the second ferrule halve and is an exposed opaque free surface of the first ferrule halve at which incident light is directed, and wherein the exposed opaque free surface is structured with a reflective geometry facing an end of the at least one optical fiber configured to reflect and focus collimated light to the end of the at least one optical fiber and to reflect and collimate light from the end of the at least one optical fiber, wherein the expanded beam ferrule (12, 12S, 12T) is configured to be inserted with another similar expanded beam ferrule into an alignment sleeve, such that the alignment sleeve is in contact with external surfaces of the first ferrule halve and second ferrule halve and the end face of the second ferrule halve of each of the expanded beam ferrules is in contact with the distal end of the first ferrule halve of the other expanded beam ferrule, in order to align the expanded beam ferrule to the other similar expanded beam ferrule, with the reflective surfaces of the respective expanded beam ferrules facing each other.