Lucent Technologies Inc.

Infinera Corporation

Christopher Eugene Young

Walter Jeffrey Shakespeare

Carl Edward Gaebe

Joseph Edward Riska

Rudolph Conrad Schweizer

Consistent with the present disclosure, a ferrule is provided that includes first and second channels, for example. Multiple fibers of a ribbon cable, for example, are divided into groups and fed into corresponding channels of the ferrule. Since multiple channels are provided, however, each channel can be made relatively narrow. Thus, by providing smaller channel widths, the fibers in those channels experience less thermal stress. Moreover, the channels are spaced from one another so that the lateral spacing between adjacent fibers in the ribbon cable is maintained in the ferrule. As a result, the fibers are not bent laterally, and thus may experience little bending stress.

Fiber optic ferrule

The present invention is a method for compensating for stress induced in optical components used to couple light egressing from the housing of optical modules employing, for example, a distributed optical isolator. It has been discovered that this induced stress may be counteracted by transmitting a balancing or compensating force so as to produce a counter-stress in the optical component. Preferably, the method uses pairs of circumferential laser welds judiciously formed a distance form the holder housing the optical component so as s to control the magnitude and direction of the applied compensating force and, hence, the counter-stress transmitted to the optical component. During welding, the effects of the induced stress are monitored and based upon any changes therein, pairs of laser welds are formed around the circumferential surface of the housing of the optical component until the induced stress is substantially reduced or eliminated.

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Fleetwood, PA, United States of America

Christopher Eugene Young