Seiko Instruments Inc

Toyokazu Iwakiri

Nobuo Suzuki

Akira Sugiyama

Hiroyuki Tokita

Keiichi Ishiyama

Kohji Minami

Yoshio Kashima

Ikuo Betsui

A method of polishing an end surface of an optical fiber comprises tilting the central axis of a ferrule integrated with an optical fiber at a preselected angle .THETA. to the axis of rotation of a flat polishing member. A foremost end of the ferrule is then moved into contact with a flat polishing member to polish the foremost end of the ferrule and an end surface of the optical fiber. The foremost end of the ferrule is moved out of contact with the flat polishing member after the ferrule and the optical fiber have been polished into a flat plane. The central axis of the ferrule is then tilted at the angle .THETA. to the axis of rotation of a platen and at an angle .theta.=.THETA.+.DELTA. to a line normal to the surface of the platen, where .DELTA. is an angle of tilt of the rotational platen relative to a flat support surface supporting the rotational platen. Thereafter, the foremost end of the ferrule is moved into contact with a second polishing machine to polish the ferrule and the optical fiber. The ferrule is moved out of contact with the polishing member after the ferrule and the optical fiber have been polished into an oblique convex spherical surface so that an oblique angle defined between a plane normal to the central axis of the ferrule and a tangent plane at the intersection of the central axis of the ferrule and the surface is equal to angle .THETA..

Method for polishing optical fiber end surface

An optical attenuator for attenuating optical power by providing an air gap between coupled fiber ends. Both the end faces are allowed to have an inclination, thereby providing an optical attenuator with less reflected light and multiple reflection between coupled fibers.

Optical attenuator

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Toyokazu Iwakiri