Patent ID: 8273271

Claim:
A method for making an optical fiber connector, the optical fiber connector comprising a blind hole portion and a lens portion connected to the blind hole portion, the blind hole portion comprising a blind hole for receiving an optical fiber, the lens portion comprising a flat optical surface and a lens cap formed on the flat optical surface and aligned with the blind hole, the method comprising: providing a mold, the mold comprising a first mold portion configured for molding a blind hole portion preform having a blind hole preform, and a second mold portion configured for molding a lens portion preform having a flat optical surface at an end thereof, the first mold portion comprising an insert for insert molding the blind hole preform, the second mold portion having a flat molding surface for forming the flat optical surface; forming the blind hole preform using the insert and forming the flat optical surface on the blind hole preform using the flat molding surface, the blind hole preform having a bottom enclosed by the flat optical surface; providing a non-contact detection instrument adjacent to the flat optical surface, the non-contact detection instrument configured for projecting a light beam to the bottom of the blind hole preform through the flat optical surface, and generating a coarseness factor image of the bottom of the blind hole preform; analyzing the coarseness factor image to determine whether the coarseness factor of the bottom of the blind hole preform is acceptable; modifying the insert if the coarseness factor of the bottom of the blind hole preform is not acceptable; and forming a lens cap on the flat optical surface using a curved molding surface.