Patent ID: 6965721

Claim:
A method of manufacturing at least one 4-port, side-polished, fiber-optic apparatus comprising: (a) providing a first and second optical fiber; (b) providing a first substrate having a first surface and a first groove within said first surface; (c) providing a second substrate having a second surface and a second groove within said second surface; (d) providing a first, second and third bonding material; (e) using said first bonding material to hold said first optical fiber within said first groove on said first surface of said first substrate; (f) removing the side-wall of said first optical fiber by polishing to create a first side-polished area of said first optical fiber; (g) using said second bonding material to hold said second optical fiber within said second groove on said second surface of said second substrate; (h) removing the side-wall of said second optical fiber by polishing to create a second side-polished area of said second optical fiber; (i) bonding together said first and second side-polished areas using said third bonding material; and (j) removing said second bonding material; whereby the first and second optical fibers remain bonded together at their side-polished areas, supported by said first substrate and free of said second substrate.